Thai SmartLynx secures AOC, becomes Thailand’s first ACMI airline

Thai SmartLynx, an ACMI specialist airline has received its AOC from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand. This achievement marks a major milestone for Thailand’s aviation industry as Thai SmartLynx becomes the first Thai-based ACMI operator, offering fleet capacity solutions to meet seasonal and operational needs across Thailand and the wider region.

Thai SmartLynx is also the first airline in Thailand to obtain an AOC under CAAT’s new Thailand Civil Aviation Regulations on Air Operations framework. Modelled after EASA standards, TCAR OPS governs key areas such as safety procedures, crew requirements, and operational manuals, designed to align Thailand’s aviation standards with international best practices. Thai SmartLynx will commence operations with an Airbus A320 from its new operations office at Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). The airline plans to progressively expand its fleet by adding 15 to 20 aircraft over the next three to four years to support both Thai and regional carriers.

Martynas Grigas, Chairman of Thai SmartLynx commented: “Thai SmartLynx is proud to be a pioneer in bringing flexible capacity solutions to Thailand’s aviation sector.Our ACMI model offers airlines a fully operational capacity solution for our partners. This enables carriers to scale operations during peak demand periods or test new routes without major investment or long-term commitments.”

Through ACMI partnerships, airlines can add temporary capacity or optimise their networks while minimising capital expenditure. The ACMI (wet lease) model enables airlines to increase overall profitability by 2-3% with the right strategy in place.

The AOC certification comes ahead of the upcoming peak travel season, as travellers from Europe and across Asia look to the region for winter escapes and school holiday travel.