ATR develops HighLine all-business option and announces customerRunway Girl

HAMBURG — Regional turboprop maker ATR has unveiled the latest development of its HighLine-branded series of cabin options, announcing an agreement with seatmaker Geven to implement an all-business class seating model. Launch customer Berjaya Air is expected to take delivery next year.

ATR first launched the HighLine series in 2023, touting five distinct concepts for ATR 72s that range from VIP transport to traditional multi-class configurations.

This year, the airframer has focused on its all-business class option, specifically, revealing how the product has evolved in a press briefing just before the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg opened its doors. Designed to offer luxurious transport for a maximum of 30 passengers, this option lines up nicely with Part 135 operations in the US.

ATR will be using Geven’s ETEREA model, with a 21.6” width, as the baseline platform. Each seat will also include a side console between seat and window that can be used as both a table and storage for smaller items, with larger storage available under the seat in front.

The cabin will also have additional features such as an “executive ceiling” (which entails the removal of overhead bins), USB-A and USB-C charging ports, inflight entertainment, high-speed Internet access and what ATR describes as “high-quality material finishes”.

It is assumed that the bins will be removed given the additional console storage provided, and the fact that under-seat stowage is also certified.

RGN spoke to ATR business development manager Louis Barral ahead of AIX, where he emphasised that ATR is focusing on niche markets that fit the unique, shorter-haul mission profile of ATR turboprops.

“The idea of an ATR with the HighLine Cabin is not to replace large business jets that can fly missions that we cannot do. When you have a mission of an hour, for example, to fly executives from one place to another, to fly a sports team from a place to another, we think the ATR can make sense for some specific missions.”

This extends to premium leisure travellers, with ATR’s first Highline all-business customer, Berjaya Air, planning to deploy two customised ATR 72-600s to serve the group’s hotels across Malaysia from 2025. Island hopping is familiar territory for ATR, and the airframer is hoping for future sales to similar airlines in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

ATR is also pursuing an ambition to replace regional jets across markets like the US with its separate multi-class HighLine cabin concept, which may lead to more significant interest, but this idea remains at the concept stage. ATR will need to firm up designs, including adding a new front door compatible with a jet bridge.

Returning to the all-business class cabin, ATR is billing the ETEREA seat as “exclusive for the ATR” in its media materials. However, seatmaker Geven tells RGN that “this individual application for ATR is granted by the certification approach and not by an exclusivity agreement”.

An ATR media representative clarified to RGN that, “as confirmed by Geven, we do not have a contractual exclusivity agreement on the ETEREA seat, because the design of the seat itself makes it a dedicated ATR product. ETEREA has been designed to be installed on ATR aircraft only, fitting our standard seat rails.”

The company confirmed that the seat was customised to fit its seat tracks, and that Geven is free to adapt this design for other aircraft in future. The product remains in development and a physical mock-up is expected to be revealed in the fall.

Additional reporting by deputy editor John Walton.

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All images credited to ATR