SmartLynx Airlines
SmartLynx Airlines, previously LatCharter, is a charter airline based in Mārupe, Mārupe municipality, Latvia,[2] operating flights on wet lease out (ACMI), holiday charter flights, and ad hoc passenger charter flights across Europe, Africa and Asia.[2] In 2017 SmartLynx Airlines celebrated its 25th anniversary.
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Founded | 1992 (as LatCharter) | ||||||
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Commenced operations | 1993 | ||||||
Operating bases | Riga International Airport | ||||||
Subsidiaries | SmartLynx Airlines Estonia, SmartLynx Airlines Malta | ||||||
Fleet size | 23 | ||||||
Parent company | Avia Solutions Group | ||||||
Headquarters | Mazrudas, Marupe municipality, Latvia | ||||||
Key people | Zygimantas Surintas (CEO)[1] | ||||||
Website | smartlynx.aero |
SmartLynx flight crew members represent more than 17 nationalities, therefore speaking multiple languages. The average experience of captains is above 5300 block hours and first officers — above 1900 block hours.
Overall the number of passengers transported by SmartLynx is rapidly increasing with every year — in 2016 it reached 1.9 million, in 2017 – 2.5 million, and in 2018 - 3 million, which means 57.9% increase during last two years. The company is rapidly growing and in 2018 its consolidated turnover reached 172.2 million EUR (audited net turnover) which is a 31% increase compared to 2017, and 58.8% increase compared to 2016.
In 2018, SmartLynx made 20.500 flights from 25 base airports in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, which represents 54.000 block hours (+16.9%, in 2017 – 46.157 block hours).
History
![](../I/m/Airbus_A320-211%2C_LatCharter_Airlines_AN1640459.jpg)
The privately-owned company was established in 1992 by four professional pilots and one flight engineer as LatCharter (the name derived from Latvia) and started operations in 1993 with a leased Tupolev Tu-134B aircraft.[3] The Tupolev fleet was replaced with the larger Yakovlev Yak-42 in April 2001, and then Airbus A320-200 by December 2003.[3]
In July 2006 Loftleiðir, the aircraft lease arm of Icelandair Group, acquired a majority 55% shareholding in the LatCharter stock, and eventually the whole company.[4] The airline expanded its fleet by adding five more A320-200 and two B767-300 aircraft in 2007.[5] 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,[6] SBA Airlines,[7] Finnair,[8] Condor Flugdienst.[9]
In 2008, commemorating the airline's 15th anniversary, it was renamed SmartLynx Airlines, and new logo and livery were introduced.[10]
In 2012 the airline was bought from Icelandair in a management buy-out and is now a completely separate entity.[11] In 2012 the airline also formed a subsidiary Smartlynx Airlines Estonia with one Airbus A320-200 to serve Estonian tour operators.[12][13][14]
In 2016 a Netherlands-based investment fund became the owner of the company. A new logo[15] was introduced.
Training centre
SmartLynx Training Centre is an approved training organization (ATO) in the Baltic States, providing type rating courses for Airbus A320 series.
Fleet
![](../I/m/Airbus_A320-211%2C_Smartlynx_Airlines_Italia_AN1621532.jpg)
As of December 2019, SmartLynx Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[16]
Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A320-200 | 16 | — | 180 | 1 operated for SmartLynx Malta 8 operated for Smartlynx Airlines Estonia |
Airbus A321-200 | 7 | — | 220 | |
Total | 23 | — |
References
- 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.
- "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."
- "SmartLynx Airlines". www.smartlynx.aero.
- "Loftleidir Icelandic acquires a minority stake in LatCharter Airlines". Alacra. Retrieved 2009-11-26. `Loftleidir Icelandic of Iceland (LI), a unit of FL Group, planned to acquire the remaining ... stake, which it did not already own, in LatCharter Airlines (LC), a Riga-based provider of charter flights services. Concurrently, LI acquired a…' Cite web requires |website= (help)
- "LatCharter Airlines". Icelandair Group. Retrieved 2014-01-24. `total of nine aircraft, including two 767-300 aircraft.' Cite web requires |website= (help)
- "Air Malta News Update". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
- "SBA Airlines News Update". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
- "Finnair will use A320-200 wet-leased from SmartLynx in September/October". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
- "Latvia's SmartLynx wet-leasing A320s to Corendon and Condor". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
- A Leap Forward – LatCharter Becomes SmartLynx Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 24 January 2014."
- SmartLynx Airlines separates from Icelandair Group. Archived 2013-09-10 at the Wayback Machine
- SmartLynx Airlines Estonia. Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
- "SmartLynx establishes Estonian subsidiary for Tallinn charter flights". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
- "Aviation Photo Search". Airliners.net.
- "SmartLynx Airlines changes its logotype - News - Corporate - SmartLynx Airlines". www.smartlynx.aero.
- "Fleet - Corporate - SmartLynx Airlines". www.smartlynx.aero. Retrieved 13 August 2018.