PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse/PINA) - Air Tahiti, which operates inter-islands flights in French Polynesia, will soon get a fifth ATR 72-500
The government of French Polynesia has granted tax exemptions.
The new plane is needed both to serve the people of remote islands and for the increasing tourism in French Polynesian islands other than Tahiti, Tahitipresse reported.
A local company, FHP, which has Air Tahiti as one of its main shareholders, is developing more hotels and the government is expanding airports.
The Tahitian airline plans to spend as much as US$20 million for the new plane and a stock of ATR spare parts, Tahitipresse said.
ATR, headquartered in Toulouse, France, is a European joint venture between Finmeccanica/Alenia Aeronautica and EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company). It designs and produces the ATR 42 and ATR 72 regional aircraft, focusing on 40 to 70-seat turboprop aircraft.
Air Tahiti already operates a...