Jetsmart Peru has completed the corresponding administrative processes through the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC), by granting it the certificate of air operator of domestic flights.
«This will generate greater competition in the passenger air transport market, benefiting users, increasing foreign exchange, and promoting tourism and regional trade,» said Nicolás Bustamante Coronado, Minister of Transportation and Communications.
«The certification of a new airline contributes to the reactivation of the Peruvian economy,» added Bustamante.
Meanwhile, Estuardo Ortiz, CEO of JetSMART Airlines, stated that obtaining the AOC is «an important step to bring Peruvians the possibility of flying to different destinations at ultra-low prices in one of the most modern fleets in South America. This certification reconfirms our commitment to continue growing and positioning ourselves as the leading low-cost airline in South America, offering our customers safe, reliable, and on-time flights in new aircraft and ultra-low fares. In this way, we are approaching our goal of 100 aircraft by 2027 and bringing air travel to those who do not yet have access to it.
In conversations with Aviacionline in Santiago de Chile, where the IATA Wings of Change Americas conference ended today, Ortiz informed that the ultra-low-cost carrier’s plan is to start domestic operations in Peru with three Airbus A320neo aircraft and that they are aiming for the inaugural flight to be in July, but that it will definitely be during the third quarter of this year.
The executive also mentioned that initially they will be based in Lima, from where they will fly to Cuzco, Piura, Trujillo, and Arequipa, but they will also launch three inter-regional routes without passing through the Peruvian capital.
When consulted about Peru’s potential considering the presence of two other low-cost airlines (Sky and Viva), in addition to the market leader LATAM, Estuardo Ortiz said that «just as when we started in Chile or Argentina, the focus continues to be on stimulating the market. Imagine that in South America there are 268 million passengers, so if we were to reach one trip per capita we would grow by 60%, the potential is there, and in Peru as well».
On the impact of the pandemic, the executive said that Peru also went through complex times, but in the last ten years it has had sustainable growth and several airlines stopped operating.
«We believe that the space is there and we are going to take advantage of it,» he concluded.
Expansion of Lima’s Jorge Chavez Airport
Estuardo Ortiz said that the saturation situation of Peru’s main airport is a major obstacle to the development of tourism and aviation.
«It is an expansion that we know has been pending for many years. Our vision for any airport, including Jorge Chavez, is efficiency. It has to be built to be easy to operate, with fewer steps, less time spent on the ground – which results in lower costs and then in lower prices for passengers,» said Ortiz, adding that he hopes the situation is resolved «quickly and well» since it is essential for the projection they have for the future.
