Haitian-owned airline Sunrise Airways says it has accepted delivery of its first ATR 42-320 aircraft, saying it is “an important next step in its efforts toward establishing a hub in Port-au-Prince,” the Haitian capital.
With the new ATR, Sunrise Airways said on Friday that Haiti will “better serve gateways throughout the Western Caribbean.”
The 46-seat aircraft last week began operating s inaugural flights between Port-au-Prince and Camaguey, Cuba, as well as its ongoing service to/from Santiago de Cuba.
“The new flagship of the Sunrise fleet is here, marking a bright new beginning for our company and valued passengers,” Philippe Bayard, president and owner of Sunrise Airways, told reporters in Port-au-Prince. “Our investment in this aircraft underscores our commitment to expanding our route network and providing the traveling public with the very best.”
Sunrise Airways said it is leasing its new ATR 42-320 under a comprehensive ACMI agreement with Danish Air Transport.
The two parties are currently engaged in discussions toward adding a second ATR to the Sunrise fleet in 2016.
Sunrise Airways is the first and only Haitian-owned airline to be awarded a Part 129 Operating Permit (Dominican Republic).
The airline said it is “rising to meet the progressively expanding demand for safe, reliable, and affordable air travel throughout the Western Caribbean, operating daily scheduled passenger service connecting key gateways across the region with the world.”
From its hub in Port-au-Prince, the carrier currently serves Santo Domingo (JBQ); Santiago de Cuba (SCU); Cap Haitien (CAP); and, new for 2016, Camaguey, Cuba (CMW).
Additional new flights connecting Port-au-Prince with Kingston, Jamaica (KIN); Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (PLS); and Nassau, The Bahamas (NAS) are planned for 2016.
In line with the expansion of its route network, Sunrise Airways said it will also augment its fleet in 2016, adding new 46-seat ATR 42-320 aircraft to serve alongside its pre-existing cadre of 19-seat Jetstream 32 EP turboprops.
