SmartLynx Airlines, previously LatCharter, is a charter airline based in Mārupe, Mārupe, Latvia, operating flights on wet lease out (ACMI), holiday charter flights, and ad hoc passenger charter flights across Europe, Africa and Asia. In 2017 SmartLynx Airlines celebrated its 25th anniversary.
The privately owned company started operations in 1993 with a leased Tupolev Tu-134B aircraft.
In 2001 the Tupolev fleet was replaced with the larger Yakovlev Yak-42.
In 2003 first Airbus A320-200 was inducted into the service on behalf of the airline.
In 2006 Loftleiðir, the aircraft lease arm of Icelandair Group, acquired a majority 55% shareholding in the LatCharter stock, and eventually the whole company.
In 2007, the airline expanded its fleet by adding five more A320-200 and two B767-300 aircraft. The aircraft were wet-leased to different airlines around the world. Since then, the ACMI market has been the company's primary focus, having operated for numerous carriers such as Air Malta, SBA Airlines, Finnair, Condor Flugdienst.
In 2008 the company was renamed SmartLynx Airlines.
In 2012 the airline was bought from Icelandair in a management buy-out also forming a single aircraft subsidiary Smartlynx Airlines Estonia to serve Estonian tour operators.
In 2016 the company was bought by a Netherlands-based investment fund.
In 2019 the airline established a subsidiary in Malta (SmartLynx Malta) which currently operates 1 Airbus A320 aircraft.
In 2019 SmartLynx Airlines became a family member of Avia Solutions Group.
In 2020 the airline expanded into air cargo transportation.
In 2021 SmartLynx and DHL Express signed a partnership agreement. The partnership will include two of SmartLynx Malta A321-200 aircraft transporting freight and goods on behalf of the Deutsche Post subsidiary.
In 2021 October, SmartLynx announced the establishment of an in-house line maintenance centre, SmartLynx Technik.
SmartLynx Training Centre is an approved training organization (ATO) in the Baltic States, providing type rating courses for Airbus A320 series.
As of January 2020[update], SmartLynx Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:
Media related to SmartLynx Airlines at Wikimedia Commons
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