Business Week
NEW YORK

Regional turboprop aircraft maker ATR said Tuesday it has received a firm order for 20 ATR 72-600 aircraft and an option on 20 more from Brazilian carrier Azul Linhas Aereas. ATR is a joint venture between Airbus maker EADS NV and Alenia Aeronautica, a subsidiary of Italy’s Finmeccanica SpA.

The deal, worth $850 million when including the options, was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in England. Delivery of the new aircraft will begin in late 2011. The new ATR 72-600 fleet will come with 70 seats each and will enable Azul to continue expansion of its domestic regional network as it adds smaller routes, Azul said.