Maldivian is expecting delivery of the fourth ATR for the carrier in February. The new ATR has been spotted conducting test flights in Toulouse, France.
The fourth addition will be an ATR 42-600. The carrier presently operates with two ATR 72-600s and one ATR 42-600.
After the end of test flights, the aircraft will be ferried to the Maldives with current estimates to be sometime in February.
Under fleet transition, Maldivian will be replacing the entire fleet of aging Dash8s with the newer ATRs with Maldivian eyeing for a total of 8 ATRs by 2025.
Although the carrier is planning to replace the entire Dash8 fleet; the Maldivian government has recently chosen to convert one Dash8 to be utilized as an Air Ambulance. Hence we may see Dash8s be operated longer.