How JetSMART achieved 80% automation on WhatsApp and webchat in just 6 weeks
In record time, JetSMART launched a chatbot based on Austral, a king penguin that features on the tail of one of its aircrafts. The chatbot helped reduce call centre volume by 34% and automate 80% of customer conversations. Penguins don’t fly — until they find the right technology.
reduction in call centre calls
cost savings per interaction
About JetSMART
JetSMART has been transforming the regional air travel market since 2016 with a low-cost model that has enabled millions of people to fly for the first time. Today, it operates in Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile, and has established itself as the fastest-growing airline in South America. In 2025, it was recognised for the third time as South America’s Best Low-Cost Airline by SKYTRAX.
With the youngest fleet in the region – and the fifth youngest in the world – JetSMART operates over 80 domestic and international routes. Beyond its rapid growth, JetSMART has also embraced cutting-edge strategies and technologies to meet the ever-evolving needs of its customers, ensuring a smooth and efficient travel experience.
The problem
JetSMART, committed to delivering a modern and agile experience, faced a contradiction: its customer service relied almost entirely on traditional channels, with 99% of interactions handled via phone and email. This didn’t reflect the digital, forward-thinking brand the airline had built.
Recognising this gap, the team saw the need to move towards a more digital service model — one that incorporated automation and self-service tools to better align with passenger expectations.
Objectives
JetSMART partnered with Hubtype to bring Austral — the only king penguin capable of flying, thanks to its place on the aircraft tail — to life as a chatbot on WhatsApp and webchat. With Austral, travellers could get answers quickly, without needing to speak to a human agent. The impact is reflected in a CSAT score of 4.3 out of 5.
In addition to supporting customers on their preferred channels, Austral helped JetSMART reduce call centre costs and improve efficiency.
“We’ve significantly reduced costs and improved efficiency by automating 80% of our conversations in a short time. Hubtype’s support has been essential to what we’ve achieved with Austral.”
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See how Austral provides real-time information about flight reservation status in under two minutes via WhatsApp.
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Dependence on traditional channels slowed down support
JetSMART was handling 99% of customer interactions through its call centre and email.
High call volumes and elevated costs
Like many fast-growing companies, JetSMART received over 100,000 calls a month — making the operation resource-intensive and hard to adapt to shifts in demand.
A support model that was difficult to scale
The airline relied heavily on a large team of call centre agents. While this ensured a certain service standard, it created limitations in scaling sustainably and responding quickly to an increasingly digital audience.
Implementation
In just six weeks, Hubtype gave Austral its digital wings, enabling it to handle frequent traveller queries through WhatsApp and webchat.
With full integration into JetSMART’s existing systems and powered by conversational AI, Austral launched as a high-performing chatbot. Within ten days, conversations across the two new channels had doubled.
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New support channels
WhatsApp and webchat, both powered by Austral, allowed JetSMART to engage users in real time.
Accurate responses with Smart Intents
The Smart Intents engine — powered by Natural Language Understanding (NLU) — combined with JetSMART’s deep knowledge of its travellers, enabled Austral to detect customer needs effectively. The bot gave precise responses, thanks to generative AI trained on JetSMART’s knowledge base.
Easy maintenance with Flowbuilder
Flowbuilder allowed the JetSMART team to design and update conversation flows quickly and easily.
Multi-language support for personalisation
Austral launched in Spanish, English and Portuguese. It was trained with regional language nuances to support travellers across nine countries and provide a more personalised experience.
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Less pressure on the call center after automation.
Handling via WhatsApp or webchat was cheaper than the average call cost.
Conversations managed by bots exceeded yearly automation targets within weeks.
JetSMART began automating simple cases in record time.
Austral doubled its volume just ten days after launch.
The bot resolved the vast majority of queries without human assistance.
Travellers quickly adopted the automated messaging channels.
Impact
As soon as Austral launched, JetSMART encouraged its customers to use the new channels. The response was immediate: a 34% reduction in daily call volume and significant cost savings. Resolving a case via WhatsApp or webchat is now 67% cheaper than via phone.
Austral’s virtual wings have taken it far. Today, it automates 80% of customer queries and handles over 140,000 conversations a month with high quality. Meanwhile, human agents focus on complex issues — improving customer satisfaction and service performance.
What’s next for Austral
Following this success, JetSMART is exploring new use cases to advance its conversational AI strategy — including services like adding baggage to a booking or choosing a seat.
Together, Hubtype and JetSMART turned Austral into a chatbot capable of delivering fast, personalised support in line with JetSMART’s commitment to efficient, customer-first service.
Hubtype continues to be a key partner, helping JetSMART open up new channels and expand Austral’s role to support even more travellers.
Join the leaders of the industry
If you need a fast, efficient overhaul of your customer service operations, Hubtype is the partner you’ve been looking for. Book a demo today to see how we can transform your business.