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 module.
