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Founded | 1992 (as LatCharter) | ||||||
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Commenced operations | 1993 | ||||||
Operating bases | |||||||
Subsidiaries |
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Fleet size | 64 | ||||||
Destinations | 82 | ||||||
Parent company | Avia Solutions Group | ||||||
Headquarters | Mazrūdas, Mārupes novads, Latvia | ||||||
Key people | Edvinas Demenius (CEO)[1] | ||||||
Employees | 400+ | ||||||
Website | smartlynx |
SmartLynx Airlines Limited, previously LatCharter, is a Latvia-based ACMI, charter and cargo airline based in Mārupe,[2] operating flights on wet lease out (ACMI), holiday charter flights, ad-hoc passenger charter and cargo flights across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada and the United States.[2]
The privately owned company started operations in 1993 with a leased Tupolev Tu-134B.[3][4] In 2001, the Tupolev fleet was replaced with the larger Yakovlev Yak-42 and in 2003, first Airbus A320-200 was inducted into the service on behalf of the airline.[3]
In 2006, Loftleiðir, the aircraft lease arm of Icelandair Group, acquired a majority 55% shareholding in the LatCharter stock, and eventually the whole company.[5][6]
In 2007, the airline expanded its fleet by adding five more A320-200s and two 767-300s.[7] The aircraft were wet-leased to different airlines around the world. Since then, the ACMI market has been the company's primary focus, having operated for numerous carriers such as Air Malta,[8] SBA Airlines,[9] Finnair,[10] Condor.[11] In 2008, the company was renamed SmartLynx Airlines.[12]
In 2012, the airline was bought from Icelandair in a management buy-out[13] also forming a single aircraft subsidiary Smartlynx Airlines Estonia to serve Estonian tour operators.[14] In 2014, SmartLynx transitioned into a paperless cockpit environment by using the Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro app as its electronic flight bag (EFB).[15]
In 2016, the company was bought by a Netherlands-based investment fund.[16]
In June 2016, Zygimantas Surintas was appointed as the company's CEO.[17]
In 2019, the airline established a subsidiary in Malta (SmartLynx Malta).[18] SmartLynx Airlines also became a part of Avia Solutions Group in 2019.[19]
In 2020, the airline expanded into air cargo transportation.[20] In February 2021, SmartLynx and DHL signed a partnership agreement.[21] The partnership included two of SmartLynx Malta A321-200s transporting freight and goods on behalf of the Deutsche Post subsidiary.[22]
In October 2021, SmartLynx announced the establishment of an in-house line maintenance centre, SmartLynx Technik.[23] SmartLynx also leased several Airbus A320 aircraft to Nigerian airline Air Peace in November 2021.[24] In December 2021, the airlines announced plans to open a new office in Vilnius, Lithuania.[25]
In February 2022, SmartLynx Airlines signed an agreement with SMBC Aviation Capital to lease the first two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.[26][27] In March 2022, SmartLynx announced the introduction of first Airbus A330-300 freighters to its fleet after signing an agreement with Air Transport Services Group.[28][29]
SmartLynx also formed partnerships with airlines such as British airline EasyJet, leasing several aircraft to EasyJet in June 2022.[30] In October 2022, SmartLynx also announced it was adding four Airbus A321F freighters to its fleet, with plans to have 20 A321F aircraft by the end of 2023.[31] The four new aircraft were acquired through a freighter conversion programme in partnership with Aero Capital Solutions.[32]
In 2022, SmartLynx Airlines also celebrated its 30th anniversary.[20]
SmartLynx Training Centre is an approved training organization (ATO) in the Baltic States, providing type rating courses for Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.[33]
As of August 2023[update], SmartLynx Airlines fleet - including all subsidiaries - consists of the following aircraft:[34][35]
Aircraft | In service | Passengers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Airbus A320-200 | 29 | 180 | 12 operated by SmartLynx Airlines Ltd. 10 operated by SmartLynx Airlines Estonia 7 operated by SmartLynx Airlines Malta[36] |
Airbus A321-200 | 12 | 220 | 10 operated by SmartLynx Airlines Ltd. 2 operated by SmartLynx Airlines Malta[36] |
Airbus A321-200P2F | 11 | Cargo | Operated by SmartLynx Airlines Malta[36] |
Airbus A330-300 | 6 | 285-377 | Operated by SmartLynx Airlines Malta[36] |
Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 8 | 189 | Operated by SmartLynx Airlines Malta[36] |
Total | 64 |