Charter and wet-lease carrier SmartLynx Airlines is to switch to a single-type fleet this year, focusing exclusively on the Airbus A320 family and cutting back its A321 freighter operation.
It aims to achieve the simplification by the middle of this year.
SmartLynx rapidly expanded to 68 aircraft by the end of 2024, developing an A321 converted freighter fleet as well as Boeing 737 Max operations.
The company has a number of individual carriers including operators in Latvia, Estonia and Malta.
Its Maltese division had been operating A321Fs for express cargo firm DHL through a partnership unveiled in 2021. But the two sides have reportedly discontinued the arrangement.
SmartLynx says there will be a “partial” reallocation of assets within the broader Avia Solutions Group portfolio.
“To sustain our growth and align with our group’s strategic goals, we believe now is the right time to make decisions that will further strengthen the company in the long term,” says SmartLynx chief Edvinas Demenius.
“The industry we operate makes us directly reliant on market demand. Our operations are shaped by industry needs, requiring continuous adaptation to stay aligned with market dynamics.”
Avia Solutions Group disclosed last November that it was ordering 40 737 Max 8s. Its various operators comprise a total of some 220 aircraft.
