Avion Express to return 15 aircraft to lessors

Lithuanian ACMI provider Avion Express has announced a fleet and structural realignment to improve efficiency and agility. The company has agreed on the redelivery of 15 aircraft, more than 25 percent of its total European fleet, to the respective lessors.

The current geopolitical environment has introduced some of the most significant operational challenges to airlines around the globe since the pandemic, with airspace closures, mandatory flight rerouting, and rising fuel costs all adding layers of complexity across the industry, said the ACMI provider.  

As such, the company will return the aircraft and will continue to evaluate fleet size depending on market developments.

“ACMI services are designed to support seasonal peaks, when airlines require additional capacity during high-demand periods. Recent geopolitical developments have clearly had an immediate impact on market dynamics, with carriers across Europe revising growth plans amid cost pressures and uncertainty. This is naturally reflected in ACMI demand for this summer season,” said Darius Kajokas, CEO of Avion Express.

He added that the company’s actions are focused on maintaining operational resilience and delivering consistent value to long-term partners. “While we anticipate that European demand this summer will not reach the levels seen last year, we are offsetting this by accelerating our expansion into other regions, most notably Brazil. This strategy of diversifying our global footprint and customer base was intentionally designed to serve as a hedge, allowing us to remain resilient even when unforeseen events impact demand in specific markets.”