CEO Vytautas Cekanavicius of BGS shifts emphasis towards streamlining ground operations
Avia Solutions Group: A Global Leader in ACMI Services
Avia Solutions Group (ASG), headquartered in Dublin, has rapidly grown to become the world's largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider with a fleet exceeding 200 aircraft. Founded in the early 2000s, ASG's aggressive expansion strategy has seen it acquire key players, launch subsidiaries, and enter emerging markets across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas.
One of ASG's key milestones was the acquisition of Australia's Skytrans in 2024, now rebranded as SmartLynx Australia. In 2025, ASG launched Avion Express Philippines with plans for multiple A320-200 aircraft. The group has also certified regional carriers such as BBN Airlines Indonesia, Thai SmartLynx Airlines, and Ascend Airways Malaysia. This geographic diversification helps ASG offset seasonality of European operations and strengthen its global ACMI network.
A significant part of ASG’s portfolio is Baltic Ground Services (BGS), a provider of comprehensive ground handling solutions. BGS enhances the group’s vertical integration by managing turnarounds, passenger services, and ramp handling, critical to supporting efficient ACMI airline operations.
Vytautas Cekanavicius, who was appointed as CEO of BGS in February 2024, leads this key subsidiary. Prior to joining ASG, Cekanavicius worked in the finance, energy, and retail sectors. He began his workday by planning and prioritizing tasks during his commute. Cekanavicius led the BGS fuel supply division for four years, overseeing 10 fuel stations in five countries.
BGS focuses on securing competitive pricing and efficient supply chain management for aviation fuel. The company is also planning a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant as an opportunity emerging from regulatory developments. Artificial intelligence is used by BGS for faster and more efficient data collection, market analysis, text creation, and information gathering.
Hiring and managing staff is a significant challenge in the ground handling industry, including for BGS. However, Cekanavicius is inspired by his team's constant drive to improve and their willingness to take on hard challenges. BGS and Kazimieras Simonavicius University (KSU) launched a collaboration to organize International Air Transport Association (IATA)-accredited training.
BGS operates across all three Baltic countries without seeing major differences in operations. The company has not faced a situation where an airport's operations were disrupted due to a fuel shortage. ASG operates a fleet of 209 aircraft across six continents and is supported by 14,000 aviation professionals.
Despite the challenges in the aviation industry, such as attracting employees and constantly evolving regulatory requirements, being part of Avia Solutions Group is beneficial for BGS as it is a well-known name not just in Lithuania but globally. Cekanavicius's greatest professional achievement at Avia Solutions Group so far is a special project he is working on intensively. Both BGS and Avia Solutions Group strive to exceed safety and sustainability standards and earn the highest certifications available in the market.
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