Latvian carrier airBaltic announced today that it will lease more aircraft under wet-leasing agreements until the end of May. It explained that the decision follows the extended turnaround times period for Pratt & Whitney servicing the engines of its Airbus A220s.
See also: airBaltic to wet-lease four A320 from Avion Express
Extended turnaround service times for A220 engines, a problem for airBaltic
In order to meet growing passenger demand and to ensure that its schedule can be met with as little disruption as possible, a number of aircraft and crews from different companies will operate flights marketed by airBaltic.
XFly will provide an 88-passenger Bombardier CRJ-900NG, while Danish Air Transport will provide a 180-seat Airbus A320. A 150-seat Carpatiar Airbus A319 will also operate for the airline based at Riga International Airport (RIX). Finally, Cyprus Airways will provide another 180-seat A320.
«We are strongly committed to our contractual obligations to passengers and partners», said Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic. «However, the extended turnaround times for Pratt & Whitney servicing the engines are causing operational disruption for airBaltic», he explained.
In that regard, he said the manufacturer, a long-term partner, was unable to deliver on its promise to improve turnaround times. For that reason, the company is turning to wet leasing, also known as ACMI. In such an arrangement, an airline leases its aircraft, along with its crew, maintenance technicians and insurance, to another company.
The lessee is responsible for the other elements necessary for the operation, such as fuel, ground handling services and regulatory filings, among others.
airBaltic and its commitment to the A220
Gauss was optimistic and said he expects the situation to be resolved soon. «In the meantime, we are taking all the necessary measures to ensure that the majority of our passengers continue to be transported by the backbone of our operations, the Airbus A220-300,» he concluded.
In December 2016, airBaltic was the launch customer for the A220-300. Since then, the airplane originally developed by Canadian manufacturer Bombardier as the CS300 has become the only type in its fleet.
Currently, airBaltic has forty aircraft and is one of the leading operators of the A220, offering a network of more than seventy destinations in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Middle East.
