Loganair (LM, Glasgow International) took delivery of its first of two ATR72-600s, G-FBXA (msn 1260), on February 12, 2020, ahead of the type's commercial debut planned for March 2.
The 4.5-year-old turboprop was previously operated by flybe. (2002) (Exeter) for SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK, Copenhagen Kastrup). It was phased-out by the former operator on October 28, 2019, and has since been stored first at Toulouse Francazal and then at Exeter. It was ferried to Aberdeen Dyce on February 12, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.
Avation has confirmed in a press release that Flybe. has subleased the two aircraft to Loganair until the end of the aircraft's lease terms.
According to the ch-aviation schedules module, the Scottish regional specialist will start deploying the new type on March 2 on an 8x weekly service between Aberdeen and Sumburgh. After March 29, 2020, it will use the aircraft to operate from Aberdeen to Sumburgh (16x weekly), from Edinburgh to Kirkwall (12x weekly) and Sumburgh (2x weekly), and from Glasgow International to Kirkwall and Sumburgh (daily each).
Loganair also operates one ATR42-500, one ATR72-500(F), one DHC-6-300 and two -400s, four E135s, thirteen E145s, two Saab 2000s, twelve Saab 340Bs (and a further one wet-leased from NyxAir), four Saab 340(F)s, and two BN-2s. The airline plans to retire all Saab 2000s by the end of the first quarter and replace them with more ATR42-500s. Eventually, it intends to add around twenty of the smaller ATR - Avions de Transport Régional turboprops as a replacement for all Saab (Sweden) aircraft.
Editorial Comment: Added details from Avation press release confirming the two aircraft are subleased from flybe to Loganair. - 21Feb2020 - 21:42 UTC