HAC - Hokkaido Air System (NTH, Hakodate) has acquired its first ATR42-600 as it pushes ahead with its fleet renewal programme.
The JAL Group subsidiary said in a statement that F-WKVG (msn 1417) was positioned from Toulouse Blagnac to Kagoshima via Irakleion, Hurghada, Muscat, Nagpur, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, and Taipei Taoyuan over the course of December 19-22. It will be added to the Japanese register as JA11HC. A second of the ATR - Avions de Transport Régional turboprops, JA12HC, is expected in September 2020.
As previously reported, HAC will deploy the type into revenue service from March 29, 2020, onwards connecting Sapporo Okadama to Hakodate and to Kushiro.
The ATRs will eventually replace HAC's existing fleet of four Saab 340Bs.
