Is CAL going to confirm that they are getting rid of those pesky ATR-72's?
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... five-q400s"12JUN2017
Bombardier (BBA, Montréal Trudeau) has announced it has concluded a firm order for five Dash 8-400 turboprops with an undisclosed customer.
Based on the list price of the Q400 aircraft, the order is valued at approximately USD162 million or USD32.4 million for one."
7 years ago, the Arthur Lok Jack led board of CAL paid USD20 million for one ATR-72.
Former CAL board close to deal ATR planes cheaper Published on Nov 28, 2010, 10:54 pm AST
A deal was near closure with Toulouse, France-based ATR for Caribbean Airlines to buy the 68-seat aircraft after extensive negotiations between the Arthur Lok Jack-led board of directors and several aircraft manufacturers, sources close to the transaction confirmed yesterday.
The ATR deal was cheaper, at around US$20 million per 72-600 aircraft, than any other purchase from competitors, including manufacturers like international company Bombardier, the Express was told.
Lok Jack and other CAL directors received several presentations and proposals from ATR and other manufacturers and finally agreed on acquisition with ATR for five planes.
These aircraft were intended as replacements for Caribbean Airlines' ageing Dash-8 planes, which are used on the Tobago airbridge service. Sources said the ATR aircraft could also have been used on the Port of Spain and Caracas Caribbean Airlines service, but were not intended for Air Jamaica's airbridge between Kingston and Montego Bay.
The directors were said to have conducted several analyses of the aircraft and found that the ATR planes were "cheaper and had no safety issues" that were different from other carriers, a source close to the former board said yesterday.
At the time of the general election, the former directors were looking at using the ATRs as a first step toward making a bid for regional carrier LIAT.
The board had decided to replace Air Jamaica's jet fleet of Airbus aircraft after acquiring routes operated by the Jamaican carrier, including destinations in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
However, after the directors resigned after the May 24 general election, the airline's former chief executive officer, Capt Ian Brunton, pursued the deal with ATR without a board in place for several months. A decision was made to buy nine aircraft from ATR, some of which would have been used on the Air Jamaica airbridge.
This was ratified by Cabinet in September.
Another source familiar with the deal said when the new board of directors led by businessman George Nicholas was appointed, the new board was said to have been against the ATR deal and wanted to consider another manufacturer. No decision was made with regard to ATR, a source said.
Contacted yesterday, director and Tobago hotelier, Allan Clovis, referred enquiries to chairman Nicholas or Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner.
Warner left for Zurich, Switzerland yesterday on World Cup bid round duties. He is to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron, former US president Bill Clinton and Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during his trip.
Former Caribbean Airlines chairman Arthur Lok Jack could not be immediately reached yesterday.
