Avia Solutions Group has sold SmartLynx Airlines to its management and a Dutch fund, marking a significant step in the consolidation of its European airlines and brands. This strategic move aims to optimize year-round operations by focusing on efficiency enhancements and expanding into counter-cyclical markets in Asia Pacific and Latin America. SmartLynx Airlines, now co-owned by a dedicated Dutch investment fund, CEO Edvinas Demenius, and Vice-President Finance Mindaugas Kazakevicius, will continue to operate as an independent firm. The airline's fleet includes eleven A320-200s and four A321-200s, with plans to exit B737-8 freighters as part of its 'back to the basics' transformation. The consolidation of European AOCs includes Ascend Airways, Avion Express, and KlasJet in Lithuania, Avion Express Malta, and AirExplore in Slovakia. The details of the consolidation are still being finalized, with SmartLynx Airlines Estonia and Malta merging and rebranding, but the specific AOC and brand are yet to be confirmed. The article also highlights the complex ownership structure of SmartLynx Airlines Malta, with Air Holding Limited and SmartLynx Airlines as co-owners, and the future of other brands like Thai SmartLynx Airlines and SmartLynx Australia remains uncertain.
