Interjet

Interjet
IATA code :	4O
ICAO code :	AIJ
Call sign :	INTERJET
Founding:	2005
Seat:	Toluca , Mexico
Turnstile :	Mexico city
Home airport :	Toluca
Management:	Jose Luis Garza Alvarez ( CEO )
Frequent Flyer Program :	Club Interjet
Fleet size:	25th
Aims:	continental
Website:	www.interjet.com.mx

Sukhoi Superjet 100 of the Interjet at Campeche Airport

An Interjet 2015 boarding pass

Interjet is a Mexican low-cost airline based in Toluca . In the course of its development, Interjet has also taken on full-service offers.

history

Interjet has been offering flights since December 1, 2005. Interjet is owned by Grupo Alemán , founded by the father and son of the family of the same name belonging to former President Miguel Alemán Valdés . Interjet's capital is 100% Mexican.

Operations had started with seven used A320s that came from Volare . 16 new Airbus planes later joined the fleet, and 10 more planes from 2010.

After a long period of growth, thanks to its regional focus and low prices, the company was number two in the country in terms of passenger volume in 2011. From 2012 she flew to Los Angeles for the first time . From 2013, Sukhoi Superjet aircraft ordered in Russia were delivered. From 2014 Interjet continued to expand its international flight schedule and tried to compete not only in terms of price but also with additional service with a strategy known as “hybrid”. From then on, the company had problems positioning itself between the ultra low-cost airline Volaris and the large Aeromexico . The share of international business increased from 11 percent in 2014 to 21 percent in November 2017.

In autumn 2018, more Airbus aircraft were ordered and two thirds of the Sukhoi aircraft were decommissioned. In this context, around 500 employees were laid off, including 40 pilots, especially those who had not flown hours on other types. The reason for the need for aircraft with more seats was also cited as the peculiarity of Mexico City's airport , which, with its rare slots, forced the use of larger aircraft. A year later it was decided to phase out the Superjet.

In June 2019, the company served 54 destinations in nine countries with its 65 Airbus aircraft and the Superjet in use, and carried over 1.3 million passengers in one month. Like the other two major airlines in Mexico, Volaris and Aeroméxico, it also incurred losses. A sale was up for debate in July 2019. In autumn of the same year the fleet comprised 87 aircraft, with some of the superjets being questionable as to whether they could be sold as complete aircraft.

Destinations

Interjet's main airport is the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México. The second largest hub is Toluca Airport , near Mexico City. The airline also uses the airports of Monterrey , Guadalajara and San José del Cabo .

At the end of 2018, the company flew to Costa Rica , El Salvador , Guatemala , Canada , Colombia , Cuba , Peru and the USA as well as within Mexico .

fleet

As of August 2020, the Interjet fleet consists of 25 aircraft with an average age of 7.9 years:

Aircraft type	number	Remarks	Seats
Airbus A320-200	3	inactive	150
Sukhoi Superjet 100	22nd	18 inactive	93
total	25th

The Sukhoi era superjet

Interjet was the first western airline to add the Sukhoi Superjet to its fleet. According to a member of the management, the costs for 10 Suchois would have roughly corresponded to the prepayment for an Airbus aircraft. However, the cost of aircraft maintenance and readiness of this type rose sharply. A grounding of at least half of the total of 22 Superjet in December 2016, a peak travel season, also led to losses. In January 2018, Interjet shut down four Sukhoi Superjets to use them as spare parts dispensers. In the second quarter Interjet received 40 million euros from Suchoi as compensation for lengthy maintenance work, especially on the engines. After various sources reported that Interjet was trying to sell its entire fleet of Sukhoi jets, the airline's spokesman said they were in talks with Sukhoi for improvements. Suchoi spoke of an increase in the number of seats from 93 to 108 and of wing tips with sharklets to save pulp.

In November 2018, only twelve Superjet of the entire fleet were fully operational, while Superjet routes were discontinued at the end of November 2018. Two months earlier, the company had announced "in consultation with the manufacturer" that it would only use seven Sukhoi Superjet aircraft in its operational planning in the future. In the spring of 2019, Interjet announced that it wanted to keep the guy if Sukhoi paid for the loss of earnings of the non-flying aircraft. At that time, Interjet was the only operator of the aircraft in the west, after the Irish CityJet also shut down this type of aircraft. When the final decision to abandon the fleet was made, it was unclear whether the aircraft, some of which were used as spare parts stores, could still be sold. At the end of March 2020 it was reported that Interjet had commissioned the Berlin company Cordner Aviation to sell the entire fleet of 22 superjets.