Gabon’s Afrijet orders three ATR72-600s

Afrijet Business Service (J7, Libreville) has finalised a purchase agreement with Avions de Transport Régional covering three ATR72-600s. A statement released during the ongoing Dubai Air Show said the second and third aircraft would be powered by Pratt & Whitney’s new PW-127XT-M motor.

The Gabonese carrier currently operates an all ATR fleet of one ATR42-500, three ATR72-500s, one ATR72-600, and one ATR72-500(F) (wet-leased from Zimex Aviation (XM, Zurich)). The in-house props are all leased except for a single ATR72-500.

“We need these new ATR aircraft, as creating connectivity in the Gulf of Guinea is vital for the boom in trade and community integration in the CEMAC zone,” Afrijet CEO, Marc Gaffajoli, mused.

Afrijet plans to use the incoming trio of -600s, its first direct purchase aircraft, to replace part of its ATR72-500 fleet. In terms of network, Afrijet serves nine cities throughout Gabon as well as Congo (Republic of), Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Sao Tome & Principe.