Saudi Arabia’s Alpha Star Aviation Services Orders an ATR 72-600 and Options Another

Private Saudi Arabian operator Alpha Star Aviation Services has signed a firm order for one ATR 72-600 regional airliner and optioned another.

The ATR 72-600 will join its smaller stablemate, an ATR 42-600, which the company has been operating since late 2012, becoming the first operator of the ATR 600 Series in the Middle East.

Private Saudi Arabian operator Alpha Star Aviation Services took delivery of this ATR 42-600 in late 2012, becoming the first operator of an ATR 600 Series aircraft in the Middle East. On November 17, 2013, the company ordered an ATR 72-600 to join the ATR 42-600 and optioned a second ATR 72-600

With the addition of the new generation 70-seater turboprop regional airliner to its fleet, Alpha Star Aviation Services will also become the first operator in the region to fly the ATR 72-600.

Together with its operation of the ATR 42-600, Alpha Star’s acquisition of the new ATR 62-600 is part of the company’s initiative to meet growing demand in the private-aviation sector.

Alpha Star Aviation Services’ first ATR 72-600 will be delivered in September 2014. ATR announced the deal on November 17, the first day of the Dubai Airshow 2013.

The operator has chosen a high-comfort, 66-seat layout for its first ATR 72-600.

According to ATR, Alpha Star’s experience with the ATR 42-600 in Saudi Arabia’s harsh environmental conditions, coupled with the aircraft’s ability to operate from paved and unpaved runways in the region, have proved that ATR 600-Series aircraft are suited for operations in the challenging Middle Eastern environment.

“Given the intense market dynamics with a multitude of business opportunities in the region, Alpha Star to date needs more … reliable, comfortable and high-performance aircraft such as [the] ATR 72-600 to better satisfy the rising demand in private transport,” says Salim Al Muzaini, chief executive officer of Alpha Star.

“Besides, the ATR turboprops perform impeccably in a challenging environment, which is extremely important to our operations,” says Al Muzaini. “We also highly value quick turnarounds and [the aircraft’s] unique capability to serve the company’s operational needs.”

Alpha Star Aviation Services was established to meet increasing demand for private aviation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Based in Riyadh, Alpha Star Aviation Services offers services in the areas of aircraft management, private aviation, chartering, air ambulance operations and aviation consultation.