Air Tahiti has become the second operator in the world to take delivery of an ATR 72-600 fitted with ATR's HighLine All-Business Class cabin, and the turboprop will fly paying passengers from December 8, 2026. ATR confirmed the handover on October 13, 2026. The aircraft will operate its first commercial flights among the islands of French Polynesia on that date.

The cabin carries 26 seats in a 1-by-1 layout, which means every passenger gets direct aisle access — a configuration more often associated with a wide-body business cabin than a 78-seat regional turboprop. Private rows for couples add enhanced privacy and personal space. Dedicated storage and USB A+C charging ports come standard at every seat.

What is the aircraft actually for?

ATR says the jet will anchor the launch of 'Air Tahiti Signature', a premium service linking Tahiti with some of French Polynesia's most desirable destinations, including Bora Bora and Raiatea-Tahaa. Air Tahiti plans to deploy the aircraft on both scheduled flights and charter missions, which gives the operator two revenue streams from a single airframe.

That dual-use matters for the economics. A dedicated premium config on a thin inter-island route is a niche play; the ability to pivot the same aircraft into the charter market spreads the utilisation risk.

How did the order come about?

The roots go back to Paris Air Show 2025, where ATR announced that Air Tahiti had selected the all-business cabin interior for one of four newly ordered ATR 72-600s. At the time, CEO Edouard Wong Fat framed the deal as more than fleet renewal. The airline, he said, was "launching a whole new travel experience".

An ATR spokesperson said: "It is another example of how the ATR 72-600 can adapt to different ways of connecting people and places. The same aircraft platform trusted for regional connectivity is now helping create a more exclusive travel experience, with the flexibility to operate both scheduled services and selected charters."

Where does this fit in the fleet?

According to ch-aviation data, Air Tahiti currently operates 10 ATR 72-600s, with two more on order, and two ATR 72-600s, with two further aircraft yet to be delivered. The HighLine airframe sits inside that pipeline rather than alongside it — one of four aircraft ordered in 2025, now in the operator's hands.

Who did it first?

The delivery follows the entry into service of the world's first ATR 72-600 in the HighLine All-Business Class configuration, with Malaysia's Berjaya Air, earlier in 2026. Two operators in a year suggests ATR sees a workable niche: converting a high-volume regional workhorse into a low-density premium product for carriers serving high-yield leisure markets.

What happens next?

The test now moves from delivery to demand. If Air Tahiti Signature fills its 26 seats on the Tahiti–Bora Bora and Tahiti–Raiatea-Tahaa sectors from December, expect other island and resort-route operators to take a harder look at the HighLine option.