newstodate.aero
Mar 16, 2018 (newstodate): The charter and ACMI carrier Small Planet Airlines is again aiming at growth after a profitable 2017 and full recovery from losses incurred in 2016, a difficult year for the group.
Small Planet Airlines thus plans to add six more Airbus A320 Family aircraft to its fleet in 2018, growing to a total of 28 aircraft in the Group's airlines.
With the expanded fleet, Small Planet Airlines estimates passenger volumes to hit the four-million mark in 2018, against 2.7 mio in 2017 which was already a growth by 35 percent, y-o-y.
In 2018, Germany is becoming the fastest-growing market for Small Planet Airlines with 10 aircraft to be based in eight German airports as well as in Amsterdam and Hurghada.
-For years, Poland was the largest market for Small Planet Airlines operations. However, this year we do not plan any significant growth there the situation is stable and good, and one additional aircraft will join the Polish fleet, says Kristijonas Kaikaris, Small Planet Airlines CEO.
-In Germany, on the other hand, the growth exceeds 200 percent and is influenced by various factors. Firstly, Germany is Europe's largest aviation market, so the demand is naturally high there. The insolvency of Air Berlin also opened an additional niche. Secondly, diversification of markets was always among our goals - it is not business-wise to keep your eggs in one basket, says Mr. Kaikaris.
With the growth ahead, Small Planet Airlines may compete for the status as the region's biggest carrier with the other large airline in the Baltic markets, Latvia's airBaltic that carried 3.5 mio passengers in 2017 with a fleet comprising 30 aircraft.
Small Planet Airlines thus plans to add six more Airbus A320 Family aircraft to its fleet in 2018, growing to a total of 28 aircraft in the Group's airlines.
With the expanded fleet, Small Planet Airlines estimates passenger volumes to hit the four-million mark in 2018, against 2.7 mio in 2017 which was already a growth by 35 percent, y-o-y.
In 2018, Germany is becoming the fastest-growing market for Small Planet Airlines with 10 aircraft to be based in eight German airports as well as in Amsterdam and Hurghada.
-For years, Poland was the largest market for Small Planet Airlines operations. However, this year we do not plan any significant growth there the situation is stable and good, and one additional aircraft will join the Polish fleet, says Kristijonas Kaikaris, Small Planet Airlines CEO.
-In Germany, on the other hand, the growth exceeds 200 percent and is influenced by various factors. Firstly, Germany is Europe's largest aviation market, so the demand is naturally high there. The insolvency of Air Berlin also opened an additional niche. Secondly, diversification of markets was always among our goals - it is not business-wise to keep your eggs in one basket, says Mr. Kaikaris.
With the growth ahead, Small Planet Airlines may compete for the status as the region's biggest carrier with the other large airline in the Baltic markets, Latvia's airBaltic that carried 3.5 mio passengers in 2017 with a fleet comprising 30 aircraft.