Avion Express

Avion Express
Founded	2005
AOC #	LT.AOC.003 in Lithuania MT-56 in Malta
Operating bases	Vilnius
Subsidiaries	Avion Express Malta Avion Express Brasil
Fleet size	54
Parent company	Eyjafjoll SAS ; (owned by Avia Solutions Group)
Headquarters	Vilnius, Lithuania
Key people	Darius Kajokas (CEO)
Revenue	€205.3 million (2022)
Website	avionexpress.aero

Avion Express is a Lithuanian Charter, ACMI and aircraft leasing specialist operator headquartered in Vilnius. The company is a part of Avia Solutions Group and operates charter flights for tour operators departing from Vilnius, but also a ACMI service for airlines.^[4]

History

Avion Express was established in 2005 as Nordic Solutions Air Services. At that time, the airline was operating four Saab 340 cargo and passenger aircraft. In 2008 the company was re-branded to its current name Avion Express. In 2010 Avion Express was acquired by French investment company Eyjafjoll SAS, formed by Avion Capital Partners of Switzerland along with other investors.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011 Avion Express introduced its first Airbus A320,^[5] which was the first Airbus aircraft to be registered in Lithuania. In December, two more Airbus A320s were added to the fleet. In 2013, Avion Express passed the IOSA Operational Safety Audit and obtained an IATA registration. The last Saab 340 cargo aircraft was removed from operation in March 2013.^[6] By summer of 2014, the airline was operating a fleet of nine Airbus A320s and two Airbus A319s. That same year Avion Express established a subsidiary company Dominican Wings,^[7] a low-cost airline based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In summer 2017 Avion Express introduced Airbus A321 aircraft.^[8]

In June 2017, Avion Express announced that it had sold its 65% stake in Dominican Wings to the president of the company.^[9]^[10] In August 2017, Avion Express signed partnership agreement with the Lithuanian Aviation Academy (VGTU A. Gustaitis’ Aviation Institute).^[11] Since autumn 2017 Avion Express has also been collaborating with BAA Training on the cadet programme.^[12]^[13]^[14]

In 2019 Avion Express established Avion Express Malta, a subsidiary company based in Malta.^[15] The company started operations in May the same year.^[16]

Destinations

Avion Express operates the following scheduled destinations:^{[citation needed]}

Country	City	Airport	Notes	Refs
Austria	Salzburg	Salzburg Airport Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart		^[17]
Egypt	Sharm El Sheikh	Sharm El Sheikh International Airport	Seasonal	^[18]
Egypt	Hurghada	Hurghada International Airport	Seasonal	^[18]
Jordan	Aqaba	King Hussein International Airport		^[19]
Lithuania	Vilnius	Vilnius Airport	Hub

Fleet

As of January 2025, Avion Express operates the following fleet:^[2]^[20]

10 A320 expected.
Aircraft	In Service	Passengers	Notes
Airbus A320neo	0	180	Planned to be integrated
Airbus A320-200	81	180
Airbus A321-200	4	220
Total	84

Incidents and accidents

On 3 February 2024, Vilnius International Airport was closed after Avion Express Flight 8242 (registration LY-NVL), landing from Milan Bergamo Airport veered off the runway and onto the grass whilst landing, the aircraft maneuvered back onto the runway and taxied to the terminal. The belly has received substantial damage.^[21]

References

^ "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". Iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
^ ^a ^b "avionexpress.aero - Fleet Archive". Avion Express. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
^ "Avia Solutions Group" (PDF). www.aviasg.com.
^ "About Us". Avion Express. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
^ "Avion Capital Partners - News - Avion Express launches Airbus 320 Passenger Operation". acp.aero. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ "Avion Express retires its third and final Saab 340(F) freighter". ch-aviation. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
^ UBM (UK) Ltd. "Dominican Wings Receives First Airbus". Routesonline.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ "Airline for Airline: Avion Express". Flyavex.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ "Avion Express sells its Shares in Dominican Wings". Newsroom.aviator.aero. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ "Dominican Wings relaunched as a ULCC". Ch-aviation.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ Gaumina, e-solution: VGTU ITSC &. "Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas - VGTU". Vgtu.lt. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ "BAA Training collaborates with Avion Express on cadet programme". Civilaviation.training. 3 October 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ "Join Avion Express Cadet Programme". Baatraining.com. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^ "Avion Express to launch its first MPL Training Programme with BAA Training". Flyavex. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
^ "Avion Express established subsidiary airline in Malta - Avion Express". Flyavex. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
^ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World. October 2019: 20.
^ "Avion Express Adds Vilnius – Salzburg in 1Q24". AeroRoutes. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b Migonytė, Sigita. ""Tiketa Tour" pradėjo skrydžus į Egiptą". vz.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
^ "Avion Express Adds Vilnius – Aqaba Service in NW23". AeroRoutes. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
^ ""Avion Express" išplėtė orlaivių parką iki 50-ties lėktuvų". 15min.lt/verslas (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 30 August 2023.
^ "A passenger plane skids off the runway at Vilnius Airport, airport closed". lrt.lt (in Lithuanian). 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.

External links

Media related to Avion Express at Wikimedia Commons

Official website

[iata-1] "IATA - Airline and Airport Code Search". Iata.org. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

[fleet-2] "avionexpress.aero - Fleet Archive". Avion Express. Retrieved 5 January 2025.

[Avia_Solutions_Group-3] "Avia Solutions Group" (PDF). www.aviasg.com.

[4] "About Us". Avion Express. Retrieved 12 October 2021.

[5] "Avion Capital Partners - News - Avion Express launches Airbus 320 Passenger Operation". acp.aero. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[6] "Avion Express retires its third and final Saab 340(F) freighter". ch-aviation. Retrieved 13 May 2018.

[7] UBM (UK) Ltd. "Dominican Wings Receives First Airbus". Routesonline.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[8] "Airline for Airline: Avion Express". Flyavex.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[9] "Avion Express sells its Shares in Dominican Wings". Newsroom.aviator.aero. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[10] "Dominican Wings relaunched as a ULCC". Ch-aviation.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[11] Gaumina, e-solution: VGTU ITSC &. "Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universitetas - VGTU". Vgtu.lt. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[12] "BAA Training collaborates with Avion Express on cadet programme". Civilaviation.training. 3 October 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[13] "Join Avion Express Cadet Programme". Baatraining.com. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[14] "Avion Express to launch its first MPL Training Programme with BAA Training". Flyavex. Retrieved 8 April 2019.

[15] "Avion Express established subsidiary airline in Malta - Avion Express". Flyavex. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2019.

[16] "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World. October 2019: 20.

[17] "Avion Express Adds Vilnius – Salzburg in 1Q24". AeroRoutes. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.

[:0-18] Migonytė, Sigita. ""Tiketa Tour" pradėjo skrydžus į Egiptą". vz.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2 April 2021.

[19] "Avion Express Adds Vilnius – Aqaba Service in NW23". AeroRoutes. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.

[20] ""Avion Express" išplėtė orlaivių parką iki 50-ties lėktuvų". 15min.lt/verslas (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 30 August 2023.

[21] "A passenger plane skids off the runway at Vilnius Airport, airport closed". lrt.lt (in Lithuanian). 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.

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