Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) is considering acquiring additional ATR turboprops to support possible expansion outside its main Atlanta hub.
ASA executives have visited ATR in France to discuss a possible purchase, but the airline has yet to decide whether it has a requirement beyond its 19-strong fleet of ATR 72s.
"It would be hard to find enough short-haul markets to support more than 19 aircraft," says ASA senior vice-president Bryan LaBrecque. He says three of the carrier's ATR 72s will replace Bombardier CRJs operated by sister carrier Comair on select flights between Cincinnati and seven central US cities.
LaBrecque says ATRs are "more appropriate" than CRJs on high-frequency, short-haul markets from Cincinnati and their deployment beyond Atlanta supports Delta Connection's hub diversification strategy. ASA will join Atlantic Coast Airlines and Comair as Delta Connection carriers that are feeding the Cincinnati hub.
"ATR has more of a chance to sell aircraft because of the hub diversification issue," LaBrecque says. ASA's ATR 72s have a niche role in the Delta Connection network, serving very short and high-frequency routes exclusively from Atlanta. LaBrecque says there are several markets near Cincinnati where the ATR 72 could provide Delta Connection with a similar solution.
ATR 72s would not work in the Dallas/Fort Worth hub because ASA competes with other jet operators on its CRJ Dallas/Fort Worth routes, he says. The airline is, however, considering replacing its 13 Dallas-based Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias with ATR 42s, although it has not decided on a timeframe.
Despite a dearth of sales in recent years, ATR said earlier this year that it was confident that it could revive the US market "in the next three years".
Source: Flight International
