Irish-based global aircraft lessor, Griffin Global Asset Management, has announced the successful delivery of a third Airbus A320neo to a prominent South American ultra-low-cost carrier, JetSMART Airlines on 24 August.
This latest addition to JetSMART’s fleet marks a significant milestone for the airline, as the new aircraft is part of a larger mandate to deliver a total of nine A320neo family aircraft to JetSMART airlines.
A delivery first
Notably, this particular aircraft holds the distinction of being the first Airbus aircraft produced in the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility, located in Mobile, Alabama, to be delivered to a South American carrier.
JetSMART Airlines’ CEO, Estuardo Ortiz, made note of this achievement, commenting: “We are proud to partner with Griffin to welcome the Guacamayo into our fleet, being the first Airbus A320neo manufactured in the United States to be operated in South America.”
“We thank Griffin for their support to take one more step to reach our vision of 100 aircraft by 2028,” he concluded.
Eric Hild, the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Griffin, expressed his enthusiasm at the recent news, stating, “We are excited to continue supporting JetSMART Airlines’ rapid growth with the most modern and fuel-efficient aircraft available.”
“We look forward to working with the JetSMART team as we deliver additional aircraft to them over the coming quarters,”
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About Griffin Global Asset Management
Griffin Global Asset Management, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with additional offices in Puerto Rico and Los Angeles, CA, is a reputable commercial aircraft leasing and alternative asset management business.
Their dedicated team of aviation professionals works closely with airlines, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and financiers to provide tailored fleet solutions and innovative financing products to airlines worldwide.
About JetSMART Airlines
JetSMART Airlines, also known as JetSMART, is a South American ultra-low-cost carrier based in Chile, with destinations across the South American continent, including Argentina, Brazil, and Columbia.
The airline was established by Indigo Partners, a US investment fund that also controls Frontier Airlines in the US, Volaris in Mexico, and Wizz Air in Hungary. JetSMART’s two primary operating bases are located in Chile.
These bases are Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago and Carriel Sur International Airport in Talcahuano.
The airline began its scheduled operations on July 25, 2017, with a flight between the Chilean cities of Santiago and Calama. Estuardo Ortiz Porras, the CEO and founder, played a crucial role in making this possible for the airline.
JetSMART expansion and growth
Initially, JetSMART operated with three Airbus A320-200 aircraft. However, they have since upgraded to Airbus A320neo aircraft. The airline started by flying domestic routes within Chile but has since expanded its presence in South America with international routes.
Building upon its growth, the airline established two subsidiaries in recent years, JetSMART Argentina (2018) and JetSMART Peru (2021) in order to gain access to additional traffic rights in the two countries.
Moreover, in December 2019, JetSMART acquired Norwegian Air Argentina, including its operations, staff, and license. The original plan was to merge Norwegian Air Argentina with JetSMART Argentina and operate from both Aeroparque Jorge Newbery and El Palomar Airport in Buenos Aires.
However, JetSMART intended to replace Norwegian’s Boeing 737 aircraft with their own Airbus A320 family planes as Norwegian’s Boeing 737 aircraft were not part of the transaction,
Staying true to its expansion strategy on 17 March 2023 JetSMART made an agreement to acquire Ultra Air, a struggling low-cost carrier in Colombia. However, they later canceled the agreement and decided to pursue their own certification as an aircraft operator in Colombia.
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