Irish aviation investor Avia Solutions has bought the Skytrans, the biggest airline in Cape York and the Torres Strait aiming a share in country’s growing domestic air travel market.
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 Solutions Group, the ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider with a fleet of 199 aircraft, has concluded on a a Share Purchase Agreement to acquire Skytrans. It has businesses in 68 countries.
The group confirmed on Monday that it had bought Skytrans, a regional carrier based in Queensland, Australia, which flies routes centred around Cairns and Brisbane.
Though Skytrans specialises in public transport and charters , it has struggled with schedule reliability due to acute shortage of pilots.
Avia Solutions Group is the parent company to operators like SmartLynx Airlines, Avion Express, AirExplore, KlasJet, Magma Aviation, and more, operating worldwide.
Jonas Janukenas, Avia Solutions chief executive, said on Monday that
"the acquisition was part of a broader strategy to expand in the Asia-Pacific region to balance the impact of seasonal flying in Europe. “By the end of the year we aim to establish or acquire seven additional airlines, with countries like Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia firmly on our radar.”
Gytis Gumuliauskas, the new Skytrans managing director, said that the carrier would continue current operations but would aim to expand into aircraft, crew and maintenance leasing.
“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.”
The deal means that Avia Solutions’ subsidiaries now control 12 airline operator certificates, the licences needed to run airlines. It also provides maintenance, insurance and pilot training.
