AN-24 aircraft skids off runway in Donetsk
14th February 2013
SmartLynx Airlines will be adding four A321 Freighters to its cargo fleet bringing the total cargo fleet count to 15 and plans to add another five freighters by the end of this year. The newly added A321 Freighters are a part of a sales-leaseback agreement with Aero Capital Solutions and will be registered in Malta after the conversion
Žygimantas Surintas, CEO, SmartLynx Airlines, said: “The current demand for this type of aircraft is very high even higher than the conversion capacity, and we are happy to be one of the first airlines to believe in the program and secure multiple P2F conversion slots. I can admit that at the beginning there were doubts if it was the right move for SmartLynx, but from today`s perspective, taking that risk and diversifying our business portfolio with cargo operations has proven to be the right choice. In addition to tapping into a market that has grown during the pandemic, the addition of freight business helps offset the seasonal issues that ACMI operators typically face.”
The addition of the new aircraft is a part of SmartLynx expansion plans to become the largest operator of A321 freighters in the future. According to SmartLynx, the A321F offers many advantages like the highest payload, fuel efficiency, and customer friendly and more sustainable.
“The new Airbus A321F freighters have helped us reduce flight operational costs by up to 15 % and ensure up to 20 % lower fuel consumption as compared to other aircraft in the class, making the company very competitive in the complex air cargo market. Because of their efficiency, these aircraft are used by such international logistics companies as DHL which is also our first cargo customer. A321Fs are the first narrowbody freighters that offer containerized lower cargo deck to reduce the overall shipping costs, and that is why they are currently in high demand on the market,” added Žygimantas Surintas.
SmartLynx plans to grow its cargo operation volumes from 10% to 40% in the next two to three years.