South Korean regional airline Hi Air is doubling the size of its fleet with the purchase of two more ATR 72-500 twin turboprops. The carrier, which was formed in 2019 and started operations in February 2020, announced the acquisition on June 24 and said that the aircraft will enter service in August and October. It is purchasing the turboprops from ATR's asset-management portfolio.
The start-up currently operates only within South Korea, which was one of the first countries to emerge from a Covid-19 lockdown, allowing domestic travel to resume. The carrier plans to launch services in the next few weeks on five more routes, including the tourist destination Jeju Island.
Hi Air, part of the Hi Global Group, is headquartered at Seoul's Gimpo International Airport. It has announced plans to expand its fleet to 10 aircraft and intends to open bases on the islands of Heuksan and Ulleungdo by 2024.