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.

SmartLynx Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
6Y LYX SMART LYNX
Founded1992 (as LatCharter)
Commenced operations1993
Operating basesRiga International Airport
SubsidiariesSmartLynx Airlines Estonia, SmartLynx Airlines Malta
Fleet size23
Parent companyAvia Solutions Group
HeadquartersMazrudas, Marupe municipality, Latvia
Key peopleZygimantas Surintas (CEO)[1]
Websitesmartlynx.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
Former LatCharter Airbus A320-200

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
SmartLynx Airlines Airbus A320-200

As of December 2019, SmartLynx Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[16]

Smartlynx Airlines fleet
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
  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. "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. "SmartLynx Airlines". www.smartlynx.aero.
  4. "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)
  5. "LatCharter Airlines". Icelandair Group. Retrieved 2014-01-24. `total of nine aircraft, including two 767-300 aircraft.' Cite web requires |website= (help)
  6. "Air Malta News Update". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
  7. "SBA Airlines News Update". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
  8. "Finnair will use A320-200 wet-leased from SmartLynx in September/October". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
  9. "Latvia's SmartLynx wet-leasing A320s to Corendon and Condor". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
  10. A Leap Forward – LatCharter Becomes SmartLynx Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 24 January 2014."
  11. SmartLynx Airlines separates from Icelandair Group. Archived 2013-09-10 at the Wayback Machine
  12. SmartLynx Airlines Estonia. Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "SmartLynx establishes Estonian subsidiary for Tallinn charter flights". Ch-aviation. Retrieved 2014-01-24. Cite web requires |website= (help)
  14. "Aviation Photo Search". Airliners.net.
  15. "SmartLynx Airlines changes its logotype - News - Corporate - SmartLynx Airlines". www.smartlynx.aero.
  16. "Fleet - Corporate - SmartLynx Airlines". www.smartlynx.aero. Retrieved 13 August 2018.

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