Improving Flight Quality to Offshore Islands: Uni Air Purchases New Aircraft from France

By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported

Uni Air has purchased 10 ATR 72-600 passenger aircraft from French aircraft manufacturer ATR, and today held a signing ceremony. The newly acquired aircraft are Taiwan’s first digital turboprop planes, primarily slated for routes to offshore islands such as Kinmen, Penghu, and Matsu, and are expected to be gradually put into service starting September next year.

Chang Kuo-wei, General Manager of EVA Air, stated that the transaction amount for this purchase is NT$7 billion. While this figure is relatively average within the aviation industry, Taiwan’s offshore island airports, due to inherent environmental factors, fall short of internationally established airport standards. By introducing better transportation equipment, the aim is to improve the quality of flights to offshore islands. With the acquisition of 10 ATR 72-600s, Uni Air plans to gradually replace its eight 56-seat DH8-300 aircraft, as well as substitute some domestic routes currently served by MD-90 aircraft, and deploy them on Taiwanese offshore island routes.

Uni Air has chosen the ATR 72-600 as the new mainstay aircraft for its domestic routes. Starting from its service launch in September next year, the airline also plans to consider further purchasing new ATR 72-600 aircraft based on domestic and cross-strait market demand, continuously enhancing service quality. The new aircraft model features an all-economy cabin with 72 seats, advanced cockpit and navigation equipment, enlarged overhead bins, and increased seat space. It is the latest model from French ATR Aircraft. Currently, TransAsia Airways also operates the same type of aircraft, which is the previous generation model compared to the ones Uni Air is acquiring.