The Chilean low-cost airline JetSmart stated that in the next six to 18 months, it will double its fleet by 2023 and add 125 aircraft by 2029 because it plans to transport more than 100 million passengers by 2028.
“We currently have an accelerated expansion plan. We are bringing in a significant amount of fleet, and in the next six to 18 months, we will double our fleet to 36 aircraft,” explained the airline’s CCO, Víctor Mejía.
Regarding the reopening of its flights to Brazil -Foz do Iguaçú and Rio de Janeiro-, he pointed out that the country “has always been on our horizon. We managed to fly a couple of months in the summer of 2020, but we paused it due to the pandemic, and now Foz is back, and we are resuming Rio de Janeiro”.
Along with this, he noted that they are working with regional authorities in Brazil “to explore opportunities for destinations that we know present an opportunity for air connectivity for Chile and other cities. We could see this in the next six to 18 months with our new fleet, and we hope to have positive news to continue this growth”.
Mejía emphasized that JetSmart is expanding domestic operations, even though “this is a medium-term project and we are working with several countries in the region, such as our recent birth in Peru. But Brazil is extremely attractive, it is a continent with many opportunities, and it is a project that we will be tackling in due course”.
PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES
In July 2021, an alliance between the Chilean low-cost carrier and the giant American Airlines was announced, allowing both companies to grow in countries where they are not present or have a minor presence.
In this regard, Mejía argued that “it is moving forward, and we hope to bring more news and benefits soon. We are thrilled to expand our offer and have even greater support than we already have with an airline like American”.
Also, concerning whether this alliance could encourage the use of code-sharing or other types of agreements with companies such as Brazil’s GOL – which also has a partnership with American Airlines – the executive stressed that “the relations between American and GOL and American and JetSmart are completely separate, they are not related”.
JetSMART currently has 14 international routes, which have made possible the connectivity of seven South American countries: Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, and completes an offer of 72 routes throughout South America.
With information from DF SUD