Etihad Regional has announced an agreement to lease four ATR 72-500 aircraft, which will see the carrier boost its regional fleet to 12 and support its rapidly expanding network.

All four aircraft are scheduled for delivery between April and June 2014, with the first touching down at Geneva International Airport on April 1. The airline currently operates a fleet of eight 50-seat Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft.

Etihad Regional will configure each aircraft with 68 seats. Passenger comfort will be “second to none” thanks to a well-designed cabin and large overhead bins. The lease of the aircraft was arranged by Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC), claimed to be the world’s largest turboprop leasing company headquartered in Billund, Denmark.

The fleet announcement was made at a joint Etihad Regional-ATR media conference in Lugano, and comes after the Swiss-based airline’s recent announcement of a number of new routes, several of which have already been launched.

Maurizio Merlo, CEO of Etihad Regional said: “The announcement marks the beginning of our new fleet expansion program. It is part of our strategy of matching our growing network and frequency requirements with the right aircraft.

Peter Baumgartner, vice chairman of Etihad Regional, said: “The comfort and configuration of the new aircraft will help rejuvenate Etihad Regional’s fleet and further boost its product quality, while enabling the expansion of regional operations.

Filippo Bagnato, CEO of ATR said: “With ATR 72-500, Etihad Regional will operate modern aircraft, which not only offer high economic efficiency and exceptional passenger comfort, but also have minimal impact on the environment.”

Martin Møller, chairman of NAC said: Our large portfolio of regional aircraft combined with our knowledge and experience enabled us to quickly respond and deliver a high-quality fleet leasing solution uniquely tailored to meet the needs of Etihad Regional.”