Avia Solutions Group concluded acquisition of Skytrans Airlines, expanding to 12 AOCs worldwide

Avia Solutions Group, the world's largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider with a fleet of 199 aircraft, has finalized the acquisition of the Australian airline Skytrans. The airline, which holds a fleet of 13 regional aircraft, specializes in Regular Public Transport (RPT) as well as charter operations.

With the acquisition of Skytrans, the group secures an Australian Air Operator Certificate (AOC), paving the way for both passenger and cargo flight operations. The move will, moreover, allow the group to access the lucrative domestic aviation market in Australia, which, according to projections published in the Australian Aviation Network review of 2023, is set to exceed pre-COVID levels in 2024.

This development is part of the group's growth strategy within the Asia-Pacific region. Expansion in the region provides valuable leverage to counterbalance the reduced seasonal demand in Europe by shifting aircraft between counter-seasonal regions. The obtained AOC brings the total number of air operator certificates held by the group to 12.

"This acquisition is part of our larger strategy, which is aimed at limiting the impact of seasonality, whilst giving us access to new growing markets in Asia-Pacific and further afield. By the end of the year, we aim to establish or acquire 7 additional airlines, with countries like Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia firmly on our radar," says Jonas Janukenas, CEO of Avia Solutions Group.

BBN Airlines Indonesia Secures Additional AOC, Boosts Passenger Flight Operations

BBN Airlines Indonesia, a part of Avia Solutions Group, the world's largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider, has recently obtained an additional Air Operator Certificate (AOC) for commercial passenger flights from the Indonesia DGCA. This certification reaffirms the airline's readiness to operate aircraft for commercial purposes, solidifying the company's commitment to meeting the needs of the Indonesian public by providing safe, reliable, and efficient air travel services.

Martynas Grigas, Chairman of BBN Airlines Indonesia, stated, “With the issuance of this AOC, BBN Airlines Indonesia aims to bring more capacity to the region, and deliver a high standard of safety and service in the air travel experience.”

According to Martynas, this certification marks the initial step for BBN Airlines Indonesia to meet the substantial demand for flights, particularly during major holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and the holiday season in Indonesia.

The reason your flight is delayed or cancelled? A lack of aircraft engines

Aviation has been plagued by supply-chain constraints which have affected every part of the industry. In the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, engine manufacturers have faced challenges due to a scarcity of skilled mechanics and component shortages.

Here, the Chairman of Avia Solutions Group, Gediminas Ziemelis, explains how the lack of aircraft engines and long turnaround times at engine shops are forcing airlines to make changes to their flight schedules at short notice, threatening another chaotic summer season.

Engine shortages affecting flight schedules

KLM Cityhopper, the regional airline operator of Netherlands-based KLM, warned in May 2023 that it would have to make adjustments to its summer timetable. The company said that the forced changes demonstrate the serious and far-reaching issues of engine shortages facing the industry. 

KLM Cityhopper blamed difficulties with fully deploying the Embraer E195-E2 on changes to its flight schedules. As an alternative, the airline will retain older Embraer E190 aircraft and sign wet lease agreements to mitigate the impact as much as possible.

Latvia's airBaltic was also forced to wet-lease aircraft for the summer period after its PW1500G-powered Airbus A220 fleet was negatively impacted by long turnaround times at engine shops. The airline currently has 10 Airbus A220 aircraft which are either stored or under maintenance and is wet leasing up to eight jets from various operators, including four Airbus A320s from Avion Express.

In total, 219 jets powered by the PW1000G aircraft engine family have been impacted by supply chain problems and are currently not operating commercial flights, according to analysis conducted by Cirium in June 2023. The aircraft affected by the problem include the Airbus A220, A321neo, and the Embraer E2 family.

An industry-wide problem for aviation
The difficulties are not exclusive to the PW1000G family, though.