TAG Airlines (5U, Guatemala City) has agreed to lease four ATR72-500s from Willis Lease Finance as part of its USD17 million growth plan.
Signed last week, the five-year deal will see the ATR - Avions de Transport Régional turboprops being overhauled, refurbished, and fitted with new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127M engines. Willis says it acquired the aircraft in late 2021 from an unspecified third-party. Deliveries are expected to begin during the current half of 2022.
“These four aircraft represent our flight into the future,” Julio Gamero, TAG Chief Executive Officer, said. “We’ve been working with Willis Lease as a team to bring the aircraft to Guatemala in ‘as new’ condition. The interiors are new, the engines are new, the airframes have been completely overhauled, stripped to bare metal then painted in our new TAG livery. We are excited to offer these aircraft to our customers in Guatemala and throughout our network.”
In addition to the aircraft leases, program maintenance and care for the engines will be overseen by Willis Lease, including providing spare engines when the need arises.
TAG currently operates six S340As, two S340B(Plus)s, and one EMB-145LR. In terms of network, it offers regular flights throughout Guatemala as well as to Belize, Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador.
