US public charter carrier JSX has celebrated the introduction of the ATR 42-600 following the start of operations in late 2025.
While an key milestone for JSX, it is an equally important moment for the Franco-Italian airframer as it once more seeks to gain a foothold in the USA and challenge the dominance of regional jets.
JSX and ATR celebrated the milestone at a special ceremony at Santa Monica airport in California on 12 January, building on an agreement signed at last June’s Paris air show that included a letter of intent for up to 25 aircraft – either ATR 42-600s or 72-600s.
Prior to firming that tentative agreement, JSX said it would trial an initial pair of leased ATR 42-600s from late 2025, with the carrier in September signalling its intention to add another two of the twin-turboprops to the evaluation process in early 2026.
JSX began operating its first ATR 42-600 in December on the Santa Monica-Las Vegas route. Its fleet are configured in an all-premium 30-seat configuration.
“JSX is proud to partner with ATR to relaunch this highly capable aircraft in the United States passenger market,” says Alex Wilcox, the carrier’s chief executive.
“The ATR 42-600 is a game-changer for JSX, enabling us to expand our award-winning hop-on service to thousands more airports across the US while maintaining the premium experience our customers expect.”
To enable JSX’s longer-term strategy of accessing underserved airports across the US Mountain West, ATR in mid-December gained US regulatory approval for an avionics modification permitting operations at high-altitude airports up to 11,000ft rather than the 8,500ft baseline.
ATR sees both the 42-600 and larger 72-600 as long-term replacements for US regional carriers’ fleets of ageing regional 50-seat jets.
However, it has had limited success in the USA, with its only previous customer, Silver Airways, ceasing operations in June.
In fact, JSX’s first two aircraft, leased from TrueNoord, were both formerly operated by Silver.
