HAC - Hokkaido Air System (NTH, Hakodate) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ATR - Avions de Transport Régional (EVX, Toulouse Blagnac) for two ATR42-600s with options for one more aircraft of the type.
Announced during the 2018 Farnborough Air Show, the turboprops will deliver from November 2019 onwards.
The JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda) regional specialist currently operates three Saab 340B(Plus) turboprops on scheduled flights for JAL from its Sapporo Okadama hub to each of Rishiri, Kushiro, Misawa, and Okushiri (via Hakodate). In April, Representative Director and President Yoichiro Kuwano confirmed HAC was looking at the ATR42 as a possible replacement for its ageing Saab (Sweden) fleet.
