ATR has announced two new orders from Latin America that will help to brighten the sales picture in what had been shaping up as a slow year for the European regional turboprop manufacturer.

On 15th November, Synergy Aerospace announced an order for 12 firm ATR 72-600s, plus 6 options for its new Argentinian subsidiary Avian Líneas Aéreas, commercially branded as Avianca Argentina under a license agreement.

Avian Líneas Aéreas will operate across the Argentinian market, introducing new regional routes and connections to and from main hubs, first in Buenos Aires and then in Córdoba. The first delivery is expected before the end of the year, with entry into service planned for the first quarter of 2017. The deal marks the arrival of the ATR -600 series on the Argentinian market.

Synergy Aerospace’s majority-owned subsidiary Avianca Holdings purchased 15 ATR 72-600s in 2012, which are currently operated by Avianca in Colombia and Central America.

The new Synergy Aerospace order came just 24 hours after Mexican airline Aeromar announced a firm order for six ATR 72-600s and two ATR 42-600s. The first aircraft will arrive in December 2016. Based at Mexico City International Airport, Aeromar has operated ATR aircraft since it was founded in 1987 as Transportes Aeromar.

The two orders are not unrelated, since Synergy Aerospace recently announced plans for a strategic investment in Aeromar.

ATR currently has around 160 aircraft operating in the liveries of 30 airlines in Latin America and the Caribbean region.