As airlines across Europe grapple with employee lacks, lack of spare parts and overwhelming passenger requests, ACMI operator SmartLynx Airlines is stepping in to fill the gaps. We take a closer look at what SmartLynx has prepared this summer and why you could find yourself on an all-white aircraft rather than the branded plane you were expecting.
SmartLynx Airlines
Latvian ACMI carrier (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) SmartLynx Airlines is giving services to several European airlines unable to keep up with travel demand this summer. In the face of increasing passenger demand and employees lacking, many airlines have discovered themselves revoking flights, often at short notice.
Airlines can look to ACMI operators like SmartLynx as a short-to-medium-term solution during times of demand. In the recent weather, ACMI deals have become even more crucial as airlines work to deliver on their schedules.
SmartLynx Airlines CEO Žygimantas Surintas said,
“The aviation market has experienced great fluctuations in the past three years – from the best year in history in terms of passenger turnover to 2020 when this business almost ceased to live. Now, airlines almost the world are seeing huge growth in passenger numbers, working to meet the need. Due to disruptions in supply chains, spare parts for aircraft repairs come late, there are labor lacks at both airlines and airports, and fuel prices have raised significantly.”
Along with long-term clients like EasyJet and Jet2.com, new customers have looked to SmartLynx in current months, including Qatar Airways, Air Peace, and Royal Air Maroc.
Numerous of SmartLynx aircraft have an all-white livery, allowing them to enter service with new airlines on short notice.
European aviation industry
The European aviation industry has suffered from a variety of problems in the past few months, including union strikes, employee lack, increasing fuel prices, and supply chain disruption. the reporter took a closer look at the cause of aviation chaos in Europe last month.
In such a volatile environment, airlines can lease an aircraft by itself (dry lease) or with a crew (wet-lease), and also outsource maintenance duties to an ACMI provider like SmartLynx.
As CEO Surintas explained
“Buying new aircraft means enormous buy, and for the buy to be profitable, the plane requires to be up in the air all year round, carrying cargo or passengers. That is why airlines do not buy additional aircraft for crises, but rather lease aircraft from other airlines when required.”
SmartLynx Airlines is one of the biggest ACMI operators in Europe with a market share of approximately 30%. Interestingly, the airline has its highest market share in the UK (69%), driven by the country’s post-Brexit recruitment issues.
SmartLynx has replied to the growing need for its service by expanding its fleet. The airline now operates a fleet of approximately 44 aircraft, which up until recently was an all-Airbus fleet consisting of the Airbus A320, Airbus A321, and Airbus A330.
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“At this point, the biggest issues can be observed at the large airports in the Netherlands and Great Britain, where people have to wait in long queues as the airports are short-handed.”
However, SmartLynx recently said the Boeing 737 MAX to its fleet and will boast up to 60 aircraft by the end of the summer.
“We also had to downsize our fleet at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the aviation business practically arrived to a halt, but already at the end of 2020, we saw the crisis as an opportunity to grow our fleet with the help of more favorable conditions for the help of the aircraft.
We can see that our business strategy has paid off and we can support other European airlines give passenger transport services in these difficult circumstances – we can adapt to the changing economic and geopolitical conditions, to quickly respond to business needs.”
ACMI services currently account for approximately 75% of SmartLynx’s operations. The remainder is made up of charter flights (15%) and cargo operations (10%).
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