Afrijet Business Service (J7, Libreville Leon M'Ba) has ordered an additional ATR72-600 with delivery due by the end of 2022, the carrier disclosed during the 2022 Farnborough Air Show.

"The unique terrain in which Afrijet operates, comprising of the Congo rainforest - the world's second-largest tropical forest after the Amazon - makes an even stronger reason to select the most responsible aircraft on the market for such essential connections," Chief Executive Marc Gaffajoli said.

The Gabonese carrier currently operates two ATR72-600s, including one ordered directly from ATR - Avions de Transport Régional (EVX, Toulouse Blagnac) in November 2021 and one added as a second-hand unit from Firefly (FY, Penang). The ch-aviation fleets module shows the airline has a further two ATR72-600s on direct order from ATR. Afrijet said, including the newly ordered unit, it plans to have six ATR72-600 in its fleet by 2023. It added that the new aircraft would be used both to add frequencies on existing routes and launch new services.

Gaffajoli has since told ch-aviation that this new order is in fact the firming of a pre-existing option held from its Dubai 2021 order for three ATR72-600s.

"Initial firmed order announced in Dubai was [for] three. It has now become four," he said.

Afrijet's fleet also comprises one ATR42-500 and three ATR72-500s (including one under conversion into a freighter).