SprintAir prepares to add an ATR 72F

Poland-based SprintAir will soon add another ATR 72 freighter to its fleet, as the carrier looks to expand its cargo operations. SprintAir told Cargo Facts that it is expecting the aircraft (441) to be redelivered in January 2020 and to enter service in February.

Unit 441 was the only remaining ATR 72-200 still in passenger configuration in SprintAir’s fleet, which will consist of five ATR 72-200Fs and one ATR 72-212F. The carrier also has seven Saab 340AFs and three 340AQCs.

Touch labor recently began on unit 441, which is being converted by Aeroconseil at the Skyways Technics facility in Billund (BLL). SprintAir told Cargo Facts that it hadn’t originally planned to convert unit 441, but the decision was made just this autumn after discussions with business partners due to limited availability of passenger ATR 72-200s “in satisfactory condition.”

SprintAir’s freighter aircraft currently carry out ACMI operations for other airlines or are operating long-term contracts for major parcel forwarders or express companies. Given the growth of cross-border e-commerce, the carrier said that, depending on requirements from current and future business partners, it could potentially add more ATR 72s in the form of -500Fs and even larger narrowbody freighters such as 737Fs.

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