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#1
25th January 2024, 07:54 AM
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Skytrans takeover-getting jets.
Irish aviation giant snaps up Skytrans, plans major expansion
written by Jake Nelson | January 24, 2024 A Skytrans Cessna 208B Grand Caravan. (Image: Skytrans) Queensland regional carrier Skytrans has been bought by Ireland-based aviation firm Avia Solutions Group, which has signalled plans to expand it into wet-leasing and jet operations. Avia is a major player in the international ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) market, and currently holds 11 air operator certificates (AOCs) in different countries. Its purchase of Skytrans is expected to complete in March, subject to “fulfillment of specific transaction conditions”. This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members. 
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#2
25th January 2024, 08:06 AM
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BREAKING: Skytrans sold to overseas aviation company
24 January 2024 | Matt Nicholls Start the conversation Skytrans CEO Alan Milne. The biggest airline in Cape York and the Torres Strait has been sold to a major international aviation company. Avia Solutions Group, the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider with a fleet of 199 aircraft, has signed a Share Purchase Agreement to acquire Skytrans. The acquisition process is planned to be completed in March 2024, subject to the fulfillment of specific transaction conditions. “Skytrans is an Australian-owned and operated airline and air charter business. The airline operates Regular Public Transport (RPT) and charter services, with a current fleet spanning 13 regional aircraft,” Avia said in a statement. “The acquisition of Skytrans will grant the group an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) in Australia, allowing it to operate both passenger and cargo flights. This is a significant step in the strategic expansion of the group in the Asia-Pacific region. Avia Solutions Group currently holds 11 AOCs globally. By the end of 2024, the group aims to establish and acquire 7 additional airlines in various countries, including Brazil, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, and Turkey.” Jonas Janukenas, the CEO of Avia Solutions Group, said: “One of the main strategic objectives of the group is to expand into markets that have the opposite seasonality to Europe. Australia is a new addition to our group’s global footprint, where we see significant potential and growth opportunities, enabling us to offer ACMI services. Skytrans CEO Alan Milne said the acquisition could unlock new possibilities for the airline. “Becoming a part of the group will give us the chance to benefit from the best business practices and experience, as well as expanding our operations, fleet, and geographic reach, while strengthening our position in the market,” he said. Avia Solutions Group is the parent company to SmartLynx Airlines, Avion Express, AirExplore, KlasJet, Magma Aviation, and more, operating worldwide. The group also comprises a leading global provider of MRO services, FL Technics, with 100 line maintenance stations worldwide and maintenance hangars in Lithuania, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom. Furthermore, Avia Solutions Group also operates the largest independent pilot training organization, BAA Training, with schools in Spain, Lithuania, and Vietnam.
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#5
16th February 2024, 10:20 AM
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Skytrans are advertising for Dash-8 and Airbus narrow body crews.
https://cargofacts.com/allposts/carr...-in-australia/ Cargo facts are reporting A321P2F which aligns with he crew requirements
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#6
5th March 2024, 03:10 AM
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Takeover finalised yesterday and the new MD shed light on future plans:
Quote:
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#7
7th March 2024, 12:06 PM
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More info here from CH-aviation
Looks like 1 x 319 and 1 x 321F by years end Avia Solutions Group has finalised its acquisition of Skytrans (QN, Cairns), providing the ACMI specialist with its twelfth air operator's certificate and a presence in the Southwest Pacific. Avia announced the deal's closure in a March 4 statement. "This acquisition is part of our larger strategy, which is aimed at limiting the impact of seasonality while giving us access to new growing markets in Asia-Pacific and further afield," said Jonas Janukenas, CEO of Avia Solutions Group. Skytrans is an established airline based in northern Queensland that operates scheduled passenger and charter flights, including closed charter FIFO services. Its fleet comprises 13 turboprops including five DHC-8-100s, one DHC-8-300, one DHC-8-Q300, and six Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Caravans. Avia says it intends to introduce at least one A321F and one passenger-configured A319-100 to the Australian market by the end of the year. ch-aviation flagged this in a report last month. "Passenger operations will be our main area of focus, with cargo being an area we’re willing to explore and develop in 2024 and beyond," Janukenas said. Skytrans is the second Australian operator to be acquired by a Europe-based entity in as many years, with ASL Aviation Group buying Pionair Australia (PH, Sydney Bankstown) in 2023 and rebranding it ASL Airlines Australia. None of Avia Solutions Group's airlines operate turboprops, but ch-aviation is advised that Skytrans' new parent is willing to continue the existing turboprop services in Queensland while they remain profitable. Meanwhile, the expansion into jet operations will allow Skytrans to compete with the likes of Nauru Airlines (ON, Nauru), which has a handy business wet-leasing its passenger and freighters to small carriers in the region, often at short notice.
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#8
Today, 11:54 AM
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Source:Australian Aviation
Skytrans news australianaviation.com.au Exclusive: First Skytrans A319 to arrive this year for wet leasing Avia Solutions Group (ASG), which purchased Skytrans in March, intends to fly mainly A319 jets under wet lease using Skytrans’ AOC with room for A320s and A321s depending on demand, alongside maintaining the existing regional turboprop network for regular passenger transport. australianaviation.com.au australianaviation.com.au The new owner of Cairns-based regional airline Skytrans is looking to bring up to 20 Airbus A320-family planes to Australia within three to five years for wet-leasing operations. Avia Solutions Group (ASG), which purchased Skytrans in March, intends to fly mainly A319 jets under a wet lease using Skytrans’ AOC with room for A320s and A321s depending on demand, alongside maintaining the existing regional turboprop network for regular passenger transport. Speaking exclusively to Australian Aviation, Gytis Gumuliauskas, the new managing director of Skytrans who will be in charge of the ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) expansion, said the new planes will start arriving in Australia by the end of the year. That’s the plan: first aircraft to be arriving in October, three units by the end of 2024, and adding five to seven units during 2025, then varying in the following years to grow by three to five units each year,” he said. “That’s organic growth, how we’re building a business case. A lot depends on customer needs – if there is a bigger demand, we can bring them in quicker; if it’s less, we will continue to grow as I just explained. “We are talking with potential customers in the market if we would look into turboprop ACMI as well, but it would be a side business potentially to add on top of jet ACMI operations.” Gumuliauskas said that the A320 family is a good product for ASG and Skytrans in Australia. “The main vehicle and initial aircraft will be A319s, we have a plan for those, but depending on the market needs, A320s also can be brought if there will be a job for them. A321s are also something to consider because there are certain potential routes the existing carriers are flying.” Major carriers in Australia are on the list of potential wet-leasing customers, said Gumuliauskas, alongside airlines in neighbouring countries such as New Zealand. “We’re here to supply the capacity for airlines to work around, for example, delayed aircraft deliveries, maintenance works, shortages, crew, peak seasons, and so on – or development of existing operations, selling a few more tickets,” he said. “All the regular carriers, operating in Australia and surrounding markets, neighboring countries, are our potential customers.” Skytrans has said it will continue regional turboprop operations for the foreseeable future, with CEO Alan Milne telling Australian Aviation in January that it will be “business as usual” for the airline’s current network and schedule. “ASG is the world’s largest ACMI company, and will provide Skytrans the opportunity for expansion of our operations, fleet and geographic reach while strengthening our position in the Australian market,” he said. ASG currently operates a global fleet of 212 aircraft.
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