NEW AIRCRAFT - Lithuania's KlasJet secures first eight B737-800s

 

KlasJet (KLJ, Vilnius) has secured the first eight B737-800s of its planned fleet of 15 of the type to be used for its fledgling passenger ACMI/charter business.

The Lithuanian carrier announced it would expand into the passenger ACMI business in 2022 and plans to induct all fifteen B737-800s by the end of 2023. However, it did not reveal the identity of the recently inducted jet and did not respond to ch-aviation's request for comment. All eight aircraft will be configured for up to 189 passengers and will become available for wet lease before the peak 2023 summer season.

"We see a very strong need for ACMI in the market right now, and it's only expected to grow. Aircraft manufacturers are dealing with backlogs, and the situation is made more complicated by a number of overbooked MRO slots. Paired with the first summer largely out of the pandemic and skyrocketing demand for travel, it's key for tour operators, brokers, and airlines to take action now and not wait until right before the high summer season," Deputy Chief Executive Lukas Petrauskas said.

The airline, which is part of the Avia Solutions Group alongside SmartLynx Airlines, Avion Express, Bluebird Nordic, Arcus Air, and others, has thus far focused on the executive charter market. Its mainstream commercial fleet comprises two B737-300s, four B737-500s, and a single CRJ200, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module.

CH Aviation

NEW AIRCRAFT - Canada's Air Transat wet-leases two B737 MAX

Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) has wet-leased two B737-8s from SmartLynx Airlines Malta (LYX, Malta International) for flights to leisure destinations out of Halifax and Moncton, the ch-aviation schedules module shows.

9H-ETA (msn 60458) and 9H-CHI (msn 60459) were previously wet-leased to fellow Canadian operator Sunwing Airlines (WG, Toronto Pearson) for the New Year's peak. The former remained parked at Montréal Trudeau between January 6-22, 2023, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. Following a period of operations out of the Quebecois gateway, the aircraft was repositioned to Halifax on February 12, 2023. The latter was parked at Halifax between January 7 and February 12.

It will be deployed on the following routes starting on February 13:

Cancún (4x weekly),

Cayo Coco (weekly),

Fort Lauderdale International (weekly),

Holguin (weekly),

Montego Bay (weekly),

Orlando International (weekly),

Puerto Plata (weekly),

Punta Cana (4x weekly),

Santa Clara de Cuba (weekly), and

Varadero (weekly).

Starting on February 15, Air Transat will also deploy the aircraft on a limited number of routes from Moncton: to Cancun, Orlando, Punta Cana, and Varadero (weekly each).

The wet lease is currently scheduled to continue through mid-May 2023.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows that Air Transat does not operate any in-house Boeing aircraft. Its fleet comprises seven A321-200s, twelve A321-200NX(LR)s, eleven A330-200s, and a single A330-300. SmartLynx Airlines Malta has four B737-8s - the other two operate group charter flights on behalf of SmartLynx Airlines and SmartLynx Airlines Estonia. Neither of these two airlines operates any B737 MAX.
CH Aviation

 

NEW AIRCRAFT - Dominican Republic-based carrier Sky High will soon provide air cargo service in the Caribbean with the 737-300F as the first freighter in its fleet. The 1991-vintage 737-300F (25124, ex-ASL Airlines)

DUNCAN KIRK

HI1089 B737-300F, Sky High Cargo, Santo Domingo