JetSmart Argentina took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo on February 20.
The aircraft, registered CC-AWW, was received in a ceremony at Jorge Newbery Airport (Aeroparque) in Buenos Aires.
The A321neo was handed over by its Chilean parent company, which has ten of the type configured in a single class with 240 seats. JetSmart Argentina will receive two more jets by March, registered CC-DIC and CC-DIE.
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The Argentine airline currently has 11 A320s in operation, one of which is the more efficient A320neo variant.
The accelerated expansion comes amid the reopening of the air travel market promoted by Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei.
Seat capacity to grow with new aircraft
JetSmart set up shop in the country in December 2018 and began flights in 2019, amid the deregulation promoted by former president Mauricio Macri.
However, in December 2019, Alberto Fernández took office as president of the country, who once again restricted the operation of private airlines and invested resources in the loss-making state-owned Aerolíneas Argentinas.
While companies such as LATAM and Norwegian Air closed their subsidiaries, JetSmart and Argentina’s FlyBondi resisted and are now preparing to grow again as Milei plans to privatize Aerolíneas.
The arrival of the three A321neos, the first in the country, will increase the carrier’s seat capacity by 86% in the domestic market and 13% on international flights during the first quarter.
JetSmart also expects to increase frequencies and open new destinations in the coming months.
