AirExplore, Slovakia’s biggest airline and part of Avia Solutions Group – the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider, predicts a busy summer this year with the bulk of their passenger aircraft already contracted to be leased to European clients for the 2025 peak summer season, with one Boeing 737-800 still available for lease.
The aviation industry has fully recovered in the aftermath of the global pandemic. Based on an IATA (International Air Transport Association) report, over the next two decades, the number of global passengers is projected to increase at an average annual rate of 3.8%, leading to a net addition of over 4.1 billion passenger journeys by 2043 compared to 2023. This would bring the total global number of passenger journeys to 7.9 billion in 2043. Europe is anticipated to maintain stable growth in origin-destination passenger traffic in the coming years, primarily due to international traffic from other parts of the world. In 2025, the total passenger number in Europe is projected to grow by 4.3% YoY.
To meet growing demand, airlines rely on flexible solutions like ACMI leasing to expand their fleets, drive revenue through additional flights, open new routes, and provide a backstop for any aircraft requiring extended maintenance.
Martin Stulajter, CEO of AirExplore, commented, “As we approach the busy summer season, our fleet will play a vital role in supporting our airline partners while delivering seamless travel experiences for all passengers.”
AirExplore operates a fleet of 8 x Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each with a capacity of up to 189 passengers. Each aircraft provides airlines with flexible capacity to expand their fleets during the peak travel season. To meet varying operational needs, the airline offers an agile leasing model, providing both damp-lease, where only the flight crew is included, and wet-lease, which includes a full crew. This approach allows airlines to maximise revenue, while not being tied to the long-term costs of additional aircraft ownership.
The ACMI model helps operators achieve cost-effective capacity increase by reducing fixed costs, benefiting from variable, usage-based expenses, and favourable IFRS 16 conditions compared to traditional leasing. Additionally, the modern aircraft provided by ACMI airlines helps operators to reduce environmental levies, such as airport noise fees, resulting in significant cost savings and mitigating the impact of rising fees at major airports.
AirExplore’s leasing agreements span from April to November 2025, with each client leasing the aircraft for different periods throughout the summer months to fly to key summer holiday destinations across Europe. The company has one Boeing 737-800 aircraft in reserve, which can be leased during the summer period.
Stulajter highlights the strong relationships AirExplore has built with airlines over the last 15 years: “Every one of our clients is returning from previous seasons, reflecting the trust and reliability we’ve built. These ongoing partnerships highlight our dedication to providing dependable, high-quality ACMI solutions that adapt to the evolving needs of airlines across the continent.”
