newstodate.aero
Apr 25, 2017 (newstodate): Based on a positive result in 2016, new ownership and a fresh market outlook, the Latvian ACMI provider SmartLynx is opening up for a significant expansion of its business.
The carrier increased its net turnover in 2016 by 18 percent to 108.4 million euros, with its ACMI services representing 53.3 percent of the company's business portfolio, with charter flights taking up another 45.5 percent.
The net turnover from ACMI services was up 15.3 percent, y-o-y, the charter flights turnover increased by 21.9 percent, while other segments include SmartLynx ATO, the company's pilot training center offering Airbus A320type rating courses.
Building on this, SmartLynx in 2016 also found a new owner - Tripod Investment Management, broadening the financial basis for setting new goals.
-In Europe, our business is subject to seasonal shifts, and the market is most active from May until October. For that reason, it is important for us to enter markets that have no seasonality, and that means that we will continue to seriously develop our operations outside of Europe, particularly in Asia, says Zygimantas Surintas, SmartLynx Airlines CEO.
-There we see the greatest growth in economic terms and in terms of passenger numbers. We already have a base in Vietnam, and we are considering flights to Cambodia, India, the Philippines and Malaysia.
-We are also going to try to enter the North American and Canadian market, the plan being to offer flights from Canada to Latin America and the Caribbean islands, says Mr Surintas.
In the fleet of Riga Airport-based SmartLynx including its Estonian subsidiary are now 10 Airbus A320 aircraft and one A321, and plans are to take delivery from May 2017 of another two A320 and one A321 aircraft, and by 2018 the total number of aircraft will go further up to a total of 18.
The carrier increased its net turnover in 2016 by 18 percent to 108.4 million euros, with its ACMI services representing 53.3 percent of the company's business portfolio, with charter flights taking up another 45.5 percent.
The net turnover from ACMI services was up 15.3 percent, y-o-y, the charter flights turnover increased by 21.9 percent, while other segments include SmartLynx ATO, the company's pilot training center offering Airbus A320type rating courses.
Building on this, SmartLynx in 2016 also found a new owner - Tripod Investment Management, broadening the financial basis for setting new goals.
-In Europe, our business is subject to seasonal shifts, and the market is most active from May until October. For that reason, it is important for us to enter markets that have no seasonality, and that means that we will continue to seriously develop our operations outside of Europe, particularly in Asia, says Zygimantas Surintas, SmartLynx Airlines CEO.
-There we see the greatest growth in economic terms and in terms of passenger numbers. We already have a base in Vietnam, and we are considering flights to Cambodia, India, the Philippines and Malaysia.
-We are also going to try to enter the North American and Canadian market, the plan being to offer flights from Canada to Latin America and the Caribbean islands, says Mr Surintas.
In the fleet of Riga Airport-based SmartLynx including its Estonian subsidiary are now 10 Airbus A320 aircraft and one A321, and plans are to take delivery from May 2017 of another two A320 and one A321 aircraft, and by 2018 the total number of aircraft will go further up to a total of 18.