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SmartLynx Airlines

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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]

SmartLynx Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
6Y ART LYX MYX SMARTLYNX MALTA CAT TALLINN CAT
Founded1992 (as LatCharter)
Commenced operations1993
Operating bases
Subsidiaries
Fleet size69
Destinations82
Parent companyAvia Solutions Group
HeadquartersMazrūdas, Mārupes novads, Latvia
Key peopleEdvinas Demenius (CEO)[1]
Employees400+
Websitesmartlynx.aero

History

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A former LatCharter Airbus A320-200

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 celebrated its 30th anniversary.[20]

Training centre

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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]

Fleet

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SmartLynx Airlines Airbus A320-200
 
SmartLynx Airlines Airbus A330-300

As of August 2023, SmartLynx Airlines fleet - including all subsidiaries - consists of the following aircraft:[34][35]

SmartLynx Airlines fleet
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 1 285-377 Operated by SmartLynx Airlines Malta[36]
Boeing 737 MAX 8 13 189 Operated by SmartLynx Airlines Malta[36]
Total 64

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 28 February 2018 a Smartlynx Airlines Airbus A320-214 made an emergency landing at Tallinn Airport, landing 150 meters from the runway during a touch-and-go landing exercise. After a successful runway approach, the aircraft was unable to regain altitude and collided with the runway. During the collision, the aircraft's engines touched the runway, and the covering flaps of the aircraft's main landing gear fell apart. The aircraft managed to regain altitude after the collision and turn back to make a landing, but after the turn both engines stopped. The pilot made an emergency landing about 150 meters from the runway, stopping at about 15 meters south of the runway. All of the aircraft's tires broke in the course of the training. The instructor and one of the students sustained mild injuries as a result of the accident.[37]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Dron, Alan (11 May 2018). "SmartLynx to focus expansion on North and Central America". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b "About SmartLynx Airlines Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine." About SmartLynx Airlines. Retrieved on 24 January 2014. "Address Mazrūdas, Mārupes novads, LV-2167."
  3. ^ a b "How far we've come". SmartLynx. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  4. ^ "Top 10 ACMI dedicated airlines in the world - AeroTime". 2022-02-05. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  5. ^ "Icelandair Group signs 3,5 billion ISK lease agreements with Israir | Loftleidir.com". www.loftleidir.com. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  6. ^ "Loftleidir Icelandic acquire 55% share in Latvian charter operator Latcharter". loftleidir.com. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  7. ^ "Latcharter Airlines". icelandairgroup.com. 2016-03-04. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  8. ^ "Air Malta News Update". ch-aviation.com. 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  9. ^ "SBA Airlines News Update". ch-aviation.com. 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  10. ^ "Finnair will use A320-200 wet-leased from SmartLynx in September/October". ch-aviation.com. 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  11. ^ "Latvia's SmartLynx wet-leasing A320s to Corendon and Condor". ch-aviation.com. Retrieved 2014-01-24.
  12. ^ "LatCharter now SmartLynx | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  13. ^ "SmartLynx Airlines separates from Icelandair Group". /smart-lynx.com. 2012-07-02. Archived from the original on 2013-09-10. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  14. ^ "SmartLynx establishes Estonian subsidiary for Tallinn charter flights". ch-aviation. 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  15. ^ "Latvian Airline Goes Paperless in the Cockpit with Jeppesen EFB". Avionics International. 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  16. ^ "Latvia's SmartLynx Airlines sold to Dutch investment firm". ch-aviation.com. 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  17. ^ "Zygimantas Surintas | Cargo Facts Symposium". cargofactssymposium.com. 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  18. ^ "SmartLynx Gains AOC For Maltese Subsidiary". aviationweek.com. 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  19. ^ "Eestlaste seas populaarne tšarterlennufirma läks suure lennundusgrupi alla". Ärileht (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  20. ^ a b Varley, Len (2022-11-09). "Latvia's SmartLynx Airlines Takes Delivery of Three A320 From GA Telesis". AviationSource News. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  21. ^ Harry, Rachelle (2021-06-10). "SmartLynx Malta expands fleet and DHL partnership with its first freighter". Air Cargo News. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  22. ^ "SmartLynx sees fleet growth in 2021". Air Cargo News. 2021-10-13. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  23. ^ "SmartLynx opens new line MRO". Asian Aviation. 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  24. ^ "SmartLynx to operate A320s for Nigeria's Air Peace". Flight Global. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  25. ^ "SmartLynx Airlines' expansion: a new competence and innovation centre is set to be opened in Vilnius". SmartLynx. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  26. ^ "StackPath". www.smartlynx.aero. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  27. ^ "SmartLynx Airlines to expand its fleet by adding new aircraft type". ajot.com. 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  28. ^ "SmartLynx Airlines to introduce first Airbus A330-300 freighters to its fleet". SmartLynx. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  29. ^ Jeffrey, Rebecca (2022-03-10). "SmartLynx signs with ATSG for six A330-300 P2Fs". Air Cargo News. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  30. ^ "British airlines sidestep visa rules to hire European crews". thetimes.co.uk. 2022-06-19. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  31. ^ Varley, Len (2022-10-16). "Latvia's SmartLynx Airlines Adds 4 A321F Freighters to Fleet". AviationSource News. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  32. ^ "Aero Capital and SmartLynx partner for A321 freighter conversions". Air Cargo News. 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  33. ^ "SmartLynx Airlines: What It Takes to Become an Airbus A320 Pilot?". Aviation News - Aviation Voice. 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  34. ^ "SmartLynx Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  35. ^ "SmartLynx Fleet". SmartLynx. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
  36. ^ a b c d e "SmartLynx Airlines - the Uber of aviation". SmartLynx. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  37. ^ "Plane to make emergency landing in Tallinn landed with stopped engines". ERR. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
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