First Carrier To Receive An Alabama-Made Airbus Aircraft

• JetSMART became history when it was the initial South American carrier to receive an aircraft built by the Airbus factory in Mobile, Alabama.
• After the branch has been approved, the plane is scheduled to run local flights with JetSMART Colombia.
• JetSMART’s CEO was thrilled at receiving the plane, highlighting the company’s determination to grow and its place in South America’s airspace.

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In a landmark moment for cross-continental manufacturing partnership, JetSMART has etched its reputation in the history books as one of the few South American carriers to receive an aircraft built at the Airbus factory in Mobile, Alabama, in the United States. The launch of the Airbus A320neo represents a significant achievement for regional aviation, highlighting the increasing range of services offered by Europe’s OEM.

New aircraft received

The celebration took place on the 24th of August when JetSMART welcomed its 26th aircraft into its fleet. The plane, adorned with the Scarlet Macaw image on its tail, not only signifies JetSMART’s distinct tradition of including South American fauna but also symbolizes the bonds to North America and South America in the aviation business.

Photo: JetSMART

Today’s launch is also a significant event in the Mobile, Alabama, factory known as a hub for the Airbus production line. The manufacturing facility in Mobile is a central hub for Airbus production, creating aircraft that carriers mainly from the United States use. But, this is the first time an aircraft from this plant has been delivered to a South American airline, marking a turning point in the company’s history and proving its capacity to satisfy the various airlines’ requirements worldwide. Volaris was the first foreign airline to receive a Mobile-built aircraft earlier in the year.

A moment of pride for JetSMART

Estuardo Ortiz, CFO (CEO) for JetSMART, expressed his joy at receiving his new Airbus A320neo, christened the “Scarlet Macaw” by the airline. He highlighted the importance of this momentous event in JetSMART’s progress and the broader objectives. “The arrival of this aircraft brings us closer to our goal of 100 aircraft and also to transporting 100 million passengers by 2028,” Ortiz declared. This underscores JetSMART’s dedication to expansion and its crucial role in the South American aviation landscape.

Members of the Alabama government and senior executives of JetSMART and Airbus were present at the delivery ceremony.

Arturo Barreira, President of Airbus for Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighted the A320neo’s role in improving JetSMART’s service offering and contributing to JetSMART’s continuous expansion throughout South America.

Find the most recent South American aviation news here.

What makes this news even more intriguing is the announcement made by JetSMART’s CEO about the aircraft base within South America. This Scarlet Macaw is set to be the first aircraft to provide on domestic routes in Colombia when authorization for such operations is granted to the country. JetSMART is planning to open a branch within the country in Colombia after the success of similar units with similar success in Chile, Argentina, and Peru.