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New Avia Solutions Group (ASG) wet-lease airline Thai SmartLynx has received its first aircraft and—along with fellow ASG startups Avion Express Philippines and Ascend Malaysia—is closing in on its air operator’s certificate (AOC).
Thai SmartLynx’s first Airbus A320-200 landed at Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport on Aug. 22, paving the way for completion of its Thai AOC application.
ASG said the A320 will be “the cornerstone” of Thai SmartLynx’s fleet, which will “gradually expand” to meet wet-lease demand in Thailand and the wider region.
This year, ASG has been working to set up four new wet lease providers—Ascend Airways Malaysia, Avion Express Brasil, Avion Express Philippines and Thai SmartLynx—to balance out seasonal fluctuations in the group’s core Benelux, UK and German markets.
Avion Express Brasil secured its AOC in February and A320 operator Avion Express Philippines received its temporary operating permit earlier in August, ahead of receiving its first aircraft. Ascend Malaysia is hoping to complete its AOC and launch 737-800F cargo operations by November, with two passenger 737-800s scheduled to arrive in late 2025 and early 2026.
“Avion Express Philippines is still awaiting their first aircraft, expected to arrive by the end of the year,” an ASG spokesperson said. “Ascend Malaysia should get their AOC this October.”
ASG estimates that Southeast Asian air traffic will triple in the next 20 years, creating demand for nearly 4,720 new aircraft. Avia Management Group Asia (AMGA) Chairman Martynas Grigas said the wet leasing model is “pretty new” for Asia, and there is potential for further AOCs in the region, beyond the ones already in the pipeline.
Typically, ASG sets up wet-lease operations after identifying a local customer, rather than speculatively entering markets. The company then seeks local investors, who often participate in the running of the airline. ASG is loosely twinning its European airlines with its non-European airlines of the same brand, making it easier to move aircraft between AOCs.
The group has a vast number of AOCs and its airline brands now include Slovakian wet-lease provider AirExplore, UK-based Ascend Airways, Ascend Airways Malaysia, Lithuanian wet-lease provider Avion Express, Avion Express Brasil, Avion Express Malta, Avion Express Philippines, BBN Airlines Indonesia, BBN Airlines Turkiye, Lithuanian business-jet specialist KlasJet, UK-headquartered widebody cargo specialist Magma Aviation, Latvian charter wet-lease and charter operator SmartLynx Airlines, SmartLynx Australia (formerly branded Skytrans), SmartLynx Airlines Estonia, SmartLynx Airlines Malta and Thai SmartLynx.
ASG’s various wet lease airlines operate a combined fleet of over 200 aircraft, and the group is parent to over 100 subsidiaries, spanning maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), flight crew training and ground handling.
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