PNG Air has received its first factory-built ATR 42-600, taking delivery of aircraft P2-ATT under a previously undisclosed order for three new turboprops from ATR.
The aircraft, named Spirit of Tabubil, arrived in Port Moresby on May 26 and is the first new ATR 42-600 acquired directly from the manufacturer by the airline.
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Its arrival follows the introduction of another ATR 42-600 earlier in May. Registered P2-ATU, the aircraft was acquired separately from lessor NAC and previously flew in the United States with regional carrier Silver Airways. Unlike P2-ATT, it is not part of PNG Air's order with ATR.
The deliveries support PNG Air's plan to replace its remaining De Havilland Canada DHC-8-100 turboprops, some of which are more than 40 years old. According to fleet data, the airline currently operates four Dash 8-100s alongside a growing ATR fleet that includes ATR 72-600s and the newly introduced ATR 42-600s.
PNG Air has said it intends to expand its ATR fleet to 16 aircraft over the next year through a combination of new deliveries and second-hand acquisitions. The carrier serves destinations across Papua New Guinea, where air transport remains essential due to the country's rugged terrain and limited road infrastructure.
The airline was founded in 1987 as Milne Bay Air and is based at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby.
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