Emerald Airlines, Irelands newest regional airline, and operator of the Aer Lingus regional routes, is delighted to announce that it has committed to lease four ATR 72-600 aircraft from Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC), the world’s largest regional aircraft leasing company.

Emerald Airlines has been granted the exclusive franchise for the Aer Lingus Regional route network from 1 January 2023 until the end of 2032. The airline is continuing to work closely with Aer Lingus to evaluate options with respect to an earlier contract start date. Just last month, Emerald Airlines also received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Irish Aviation Authority, proving its fitness-to-fly capability.

Commenting on the announcement, Conor McCarthy, CEO, and Founder of Emerald Airlines said: “We’re extremely pleased with the outcome of our agreement with Nordic Aviation Capital, and we are really looking forward to receiving this delivery of ATR 72-600s. Over the coming months, we are set to secure additional aircraft, with this agreement bringing us another step closer to that.

It is more important than ever before to be able to offer our passengers efficient and flexible solutions with the highest possible standards of comfort and safety. At Emerald Airlines we are committed to minimizing our CO2 emissions, and the ATR 72-600 fits perfectly in this strategy.”

“We are honoured to welcome Emerald Airlines as NAC’s newest customer. We congratulate them on their journey to date and look forward to building a strong partnership with them for many years to come,” said Jim Murphy, CCO, Nordic Aviation Capital.