A remodeling of the fleet. Madagascar Airlines plans to refloat its fleet. Over a specific period of time, certain aircraft will undergo renovation and maintenance so that they can take off again. The company also plans to get rid of planes whose rent is too high for the company. This is what Thierry de Bailleul, general manager of Madagascar Airlines, explained during a press conference in Analakely on Thursday. The company plans to restore its image and strengthen its image. “With funding from the World Bank, we are in the process of rehabilitating some aircraft. We are also in the process of selling off other aircraft whose rents were too high. We are removing them from the fleet because their rental is much too expensive,” confides the general manager. Furthermore, the company’s recovery plan also provides for the acquisition this summer of new aircraft with more affordable rents. There is no specific date yet for the arrival of these devices. Two planes are expected to arrive between July and September while two more planes are scheduled to arrive between the end of this year and April 2025.
These are ATR-72 type 500. Aircraft designed for short-haul flights with a capacity of approximately seventy-eight passengers. According to Thierry de Bailleul’s explanations, Madagascar Airlines is moving towards an entirely homogeneous fleet composed of six ATR aircraft of this type. “This represents economies of scale and financial savings,” he explains. Particularly in terms of fuel because this type of aircraft is known to consume much less than its “cousins” from Embraer.
As a reminder, a week ago the State authorized the issuance of a sovereign guarantee for the rental of two ATR-72 500s in a “dry lease” acquisition plan. The devices will be supplied without a crew or anyone on the ground. This remodeling of the fleet fits with the policy currently pursued by Madagascar Airlines. The company has in fact decided to turn to its domestic flights to replenish its coffers and regain a profitability threshold.
Itamara Randriamamonjy