ASL Airlines Ireland (ABR, Dublin International) has confirmed it will be the ATR72-600 freighter's launch operator when it takes delivery of EI-GUL (msn 1653) in early 2021.

The newest variant of the ATR - Avions de Transport Régional turboprop conducted its first test flight at Toulouse Blagnac airport on September 16, 2020.

ASL Airlines Ireland said it would take a total of five ATR72-600(F)s from the batch of 30 (with options for a further 20) ordered in 2017 by FedEx Express (FX, Memphis International). The Irish carrier will operate the turboprops on behalf of FedEx.

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, FedEx Express does not itself operate any turboprop freighters. Instead, it owns twenty ATR42-300(F)s, which it then leases to Empire Airlines (EM, Coeur d'Alene) (11), Mountain Air Cargo (MTN, Kinston) (eight), and Gulf & Caribbean Cargo (IF, Pontiac Oakland County International) (one), which in turn operate them on FedEx's behalf. The cargo carrier also leases six ATR72-200(F)s to Empire Airlines, nine to Mountain Air Cargo, and one to Morningstar Air Express (MAL, Edmonton International).

ASL Airlines Ireland operates five ATR42-300(F)s, thirteen ATR72-200(F)s, and two ATR72-500(F)s on behalf of FedEx. All of these aircraft are owned by various ASL Aviation Holdings entities, except for one dry-leased from TrueNoord.

Besides the ATRs operated on behalf of FedEx, ASL Airlines Ireland also operates a further two ATR72-200(F)s, four A300-600R(F)s, one A330-200F, two A330-300(P2F)s, seven B737-400(F)s, two B737-400(SF)s, and two B737-800(BCF)s.

The ATR72-600(F) will be ATR's first dedicated freighter based on the -600 subvariant. The ATR42-600 does not exist as a freighter, neither as a new-build nor P2F-converted type.