By Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
JetSMART Announces the Opening of a Subsidiary in Peru
In a recent declaration to Gestión, JetSMART CEO Estuardo Ortiz announced that the Chilean carrier has started the process to have a Peruvian branch, which it seeks to have domestic and international routes to operate by the first half of 2021. “The Peruvian market is healthy and has grown by about 10% in recent years and there is a trend of young people traveling again,” he said.
The exit of Avianca and Peruvian Airlines from the Peruvian market has left the doors open for the rest of the airlines to seek to improve their offer. In this case, the Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier aims to enter into the Peruvian market. It will be the airline’s third branch after Chile and Argentina.
Estuardo Ortiz indicated that the airline project expects to start operations between 10 or 15 domestic routes. He put the experience with the Chilean market as an example of the airline’s objective in the Peruvian market: “We aim the market stimulation rather than a greater market share. The market expanded by 25% in Chile during our first year and 40% in the next two. We think of a very strong minimum scale that allows the offer to be attractive.”
According to La República, this JetSMART expansion plan, which has been brewing for a couple of months, was part of a long-term plan, but the pandemic accelerated the process. Likewise, the airline is in the process of certification and authorization by the Peruvian Civil Aviation Authority to offer cargo on international routes.
JetSMART operates the following international routes from Chile to Peru: Santiago-Lima, Santiago-Trujillo, Santiago-Arequipa, Concepción-Lima and Antofagasta-Lima.
It is important to remember that JetSMART is owned by Indigo Partners LLC, which reaffirmed last June the 430 Airbus A320neo order. As mentioned, this order will begin to be delivered in 2023 to all the airlines across the group, which includes JetSMART.
FlyBondi and JetSMART Argentina plans to keep on the Buenos Aires – Lima route left by Latam Argentina
According to Cronista, both carriers have request authorization to the Peruvian Civil Aviation Authority to operate the route between Buenos Aires and Lima. FlyBondi plans to depart from El Palomar International Airport, while JetSMART Argentina from Jorge Newbery Airpark.
The bilateral agreement signed between Argentina and Peru contemplates 28 weekly frequencies between both countries. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, this route was operated from Argentina by Aerolíneas Argentinas with 7 to 10 weekly operations, and by Latam Argentina with 7 weekly flights.
The three things Juan loves most about aviation are aircraft, airports, and traveling thousands of miles in just a few hours. What he enjoys the most about aviation is that it is easier and cheaper to travel around the world and this gives you the opportunity to visit places you thought were too far away. He has traveled to different destinations in North, Central, South America and Asia. Born, raised and still living in Perú, Juan is a lawyer, soccer lover, foodie, passionate traveler, dog lover, millennial and curious by nature.