LATVIA-BASED smartlynx Airlines made 48 per cent more flights and carried 53 per cent more passengers in 2023 than the year before, reports Riga's Baltic Times.
In 2023, the airline increased its fleet from 49 to 67 aircraft, including the first Boeing B737 MAX8 aircraft in the ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) sector, which significantly boosted its passenger numbers.
Over the year 2023, demand for ACMI passenger services continued to grow. This was driven by airlines favouring leasing services over purchasing new aircraft and due to substantial delays (averaging 16 months) in delivering new aircraft and parts from manufacturers worldwide.
SmartLynx Airlines increased its fleet by 37 per cent and was able to make 48 per cent more flights than the year before. Thanks to the work and resources invested, the airline reached a record number of passengers carried - totalling over 6.5 million passengers.
'Although full of challenges, overall, this year was a very successful one for the airline. We will not become complacent because, as our results improve, our goals are becoming more ambitious than ever. This year, we made our first flights for an Indian airline, and we can see great potential for growth there, as well as in the Middle East and North America,' said SmartLynx Airlines CEO Zygimantas Surintas.
While demand for ACMI passenger carriage remains high, one of the biggest challenges this year was airfreight, which was significantly affected by a drop in e-commerce volumes worldwide. Despite that, this year SmartLynx Airlines increased its airfreight volume by 63 per cent thanks to its successfully concluded long-term contracts.
Currently, with its fleet of 14 Airbus A321F cargo aircraft, plus the addition of two more aircraft of the same model at the start of year 2024, SmartLynx Airlines offers its customers one of the newest and most efficient cargo fleets in Europe.
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In 2023, the airline increased its fleet from 49 to 67 aircraft, including the first Boeing B737 MAX8 aircraft in the ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) sector, which significantly boosted its passenger numbers.
Over the year 2023, demand for ACMI passenger services continued to grow. This was driven by airlines favouring leasing services over purchasing new aircraft and due to substantial delays (averaging 16 months) in delivering new aircraft and parts from manufacturers worldwide.
SmartLynx Airlines increased its fleet by 37 per cent and was able to make 48 per cent more flights than the year before. Thanks to the work and resources invested, the airline reached a record number of passengers carried - totalling over 6.5 million passengers.
'Although full of challenges, overall, this year was a very successful one for the airline. We will not become complacent because, as our results improve, our goals are becoming more ambitious than ever. This year, we made our first flights for an Indian airline, and we can see great potential for growth there, as well as in the Middle East and North America,' said SmartLynx Airlines CEO Zygimantas Surintas.
While demand for ACMI passenger carriage remains high, one of the biggest challenges this year was airfreight, which was significantly affected by a drop in e-commerce volumes worldwide. Despite that, this year SmartLynx Airlines increased its airfreight volume by 63 per cent thanks to its successfully concluded long-term contracts.
Currently, with its fleet of 14 Airbus A321F cargo aircraft, plus the addition of two more aircraft of the same model at the start of year 2024, SmartLynx Airlines offers its customers one of the newest and most efficient cargo fleets in Europe.
SeaNews Turkey
