newstodate.aero
Aug 12, 2014 (newstodate): The Latvian charter and ACMI company SmartLynx Airlines is seeing its aircraft fleet fully booked all through the current summer season ending by October 31.
-After that, the books are open as is always the case until very close to the turn of seasons, says Aigars Jakovels, SmartLynx CFO.
-We do have some early approaches by potential customers for the winter season but no deals signed yet, and prior to that we are never sure which contracts will eventually materialize.
-In the fleet now are 11 Airbus A320 aircraft of which three will reach the end of their existing lease periods. We do, however, expect to extend the lease on two of these contracts meaning that we will be operating 10 Airbus A320 aircraft on two AOCs during the coming winter season, one Estonian and one Latvian.
-As for the short-term fleet planning, we expect to add one more Airbus A320 for the next summer season, taking us to a fleet of 12 aircraft in 2015, says Mr Jakovels.
Based at Riga Airport, SmartLynx Airlines was acquired by the Icelandair Group in 2006, but put up for sale in 2011 as the Icelandair Group formulated the strategy of returning to core business
SmarLynx is now fully Latvian-owned after a management buy-out and managed by Omar Benediktsson as CEO.
-After that, the books are open as is always the case until very close to the turn of seasons, says Aigars Jakovels, SmartLynx CFO.
-We do have some early approaches by potential customers for the winter season but no deals signed yet, and prior to that we are never sure which contracts will eventually materialize.
-In the fleet now are 11 Airbus A320 aircraft of which three will reach the end of their existing lease periods. We do, however, expect to extend the lease on two of these contracts meaning that we will be operating 10 Airbus A320 aircraft on two AOCs during the coming winter season, one Estonian and one Latvian.
-As for the short-term fleet planning, we expect to add one more Airbus A320 for the next summer season, taking us to a fleet of 12 aircraft in 2015, says Mr Jakovels.
Based at Riga Airport, SmartLynx Airlines was acquired by the Icelandair Group in 2006, but put up for sale in 2011 as the Icelandair Group formulated the strategy of returning to core business
SmarLynx is now fully Latvian-owned after a management buy-out and managed by Omar Benediktsson as CEO.