interCaribbean Acquires Seven Additional ATR-42s
interCaribbean Airways announces the closing on the acquisition of seven (7) additional ATR-42s. The 48-seat regional aircraft have been acquired from TAROM, S.A., a long-standing Romanian flag network airline.
Accepting the ATRs from TAROM, Chairman and founder of interCaribbean Airways, Lyndon Gardiner, expressed satisfaction at fulfilling promises to the governments and people of the Caribbean. “We are delighted to introduce these capable aircraft, boldly expanding our capacity and operational flexibility. These aircraft will allow us to implement our commitments to expand in under-served markets, especially in the eastern Caribbean.
interCaribbean will start adding capacity following this transaction closure in time for the summer peak season when travelers within the region take to the skies. interCaribbean has been determined to increase capacity to meet an increasing demand for its services since entering the eastern Caribbean during the pandemic. Today interCaribbean is seven steps closer to realizing that goal.
Thanking TAROM for their collaborative approach to the transaction, Chairman Gardiner said interCaribbean will benefit from TAROM’s excellent example in sustainable aviation practices, quality assurance in the airline industry, and timeliness in the delivery of the aircraft. Gardiner said, “Strong partnerships like we have developed with TAROM are very helpful to our growth objectives.”
The newly received ATRs from TAROM brings the number of ATRs operated by the company to 10. The company intends to retire Embraer 120 aircraft by the end of 2023, positioning these newer and larger airplanes to support the growing regional demand.
With a significant expansion of schedules and routes from its new Barbados hub, interCaribbean reported a first-quarter increase of 83 percent in the number of flights, and a 109 percent increase in seating capacity across its routes.
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As the largest privately-owned airline in the Caribbean, interCaribbean has been making significant progress with a uniquely strong focus on the resilient niche demand for intra-regional travel. It is especially responsive to governments, tourism interests, airports and passenger voices asking for more regional air service.