Cambodia Airways has taken delivery of its first ATR 72-600, aiming to expand services with regional routes in Southeast Asia.
The aircraft was handed over on June 5 during a ceremony attended by representatives of Cambodia's aviation authorities, the airline and Singapore-based lessor Avation, which placed the order. A second ATR 72-600 is scheduled to join the fleet in the fourth quarter.
The addition marks a notable change for Cambodia Airways, whose fleet has so far consisted entirely of Airbus narrowbody aircraft. According to fleet data, the airline currently operates two Airbus A319s and three A320s, alongside the newly delivered ATR 72-600.
Based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia Airways provides domestic passenger flights within the country, as well as serving destinations in China with its Airbus jets. The ATR 72-600 will allow the carrier to deploy a smaller aircraft on regional routes where demand may not justify larger narrowbodies.
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The airline stated that the turboprop will enter commercial service later this month but did not specify the destinations.
The ATR 72-600 is the latest production version of the turboprop family introduced in 2007. The aircraft features Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M engines, a redesigned cockpit with large LCD displays and upgraded Thales avionics.
In 2021, ATR introduced the PW127XT engine, which reduced fuel consumption and maintenance costs compared with previous versions.
