newstodate.aero

Feb 02, 2021 (newstodate):  Now Spanish-owned, West Atlantic has long been the largest operator of the ATP turboprop cargo aircraft with up to 41 units in the air.
   In recent years, most of the fleet was, however, not in the air but stuck on ground as markets increasingly called for larger jet freighter aircraft.
   With the take-over in 2019 of West Atlantic by the Spanish airline group LUSAT in April 2019, a decision was made to finally phase out the ATP fleet.
   Today, 11 of the ATP freighters are still on firm dry-lease contracts with customers, but the vision is to eventually replace the ATP fleet with ATR-72 cargo aircraft, the first of which has already been delivered, with a second to follow shortly.
   -There is still a market for the ATP freighter capable of lifting 8 tonnes of cargo, and the aircraft will remain with us for a few years or as long as requested by the customers on assignments for postal and express companies where the manually-operated large cargo door is a main asset, says Lars Jordahn, West Atlantic CEO.
    With the take-over of West Atlantic by the Spanish airline group LUSAT in April 2019, a decision was made to set up a new Swedish company, Swedish ATP Management AB, owned by LUSAT and managed by Stefan Sundberg as CEO - and the company's sole employee.
   The purpose of Swedish ATP Management is to operate, maintain, and finance the ATP fleet, with the final goal of selling the assets to new customers.