Avion Express under scrutiny as an unqualified captain pilots multiple flights across Europe
November 13, 2025
Avion Express, the Lithuanian-based wet-lease operator, has come under regulatory scrutiny after it was revealed that one of its pilots flew as a captain on multiple flights despite not being qualified to do so.
The airline says that it is looking into the issue, which potentially represents a serious lapse in safety and could see further penalties being served upon the carrier by the Lithuanian aviation authorities.
Avion Express comes under scrutiny
Avion Express, part of Lithuanian-based Avia Solutions Group, has come under scrutiny after it transpired that a pilot had flown in the position of captain on its fleet of Airbus A320 family aircraft despite not holding the necessary qualifications to do so.
It is alleged that the pilot involved, although suitably qualified to fly as a first officer on the type, had forged his qualifications to be promoted to the position of captain and take charge of multiple flights on behalf of customer airlines.
The airline, based in Vilnius, operates a fleet of over 50 Airbus A320s and A321s under wet-lease contract for other airlines. Such contracts, also referred to as Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) contracts, see the wet-lease operator provide the crew and aircraft to another airline, which covers the commercial risk of the flight through the marketing and selling of passenger tickets.
Avion Express regularly operates passenger flights on behalf of multiple European airlines.
Additionally, they are often contracted to operate whole-season charters on behalf of airlines and tour operators to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
In recent months, the airline has operated flights on behalf of multiple European airlines, including Polish airline LOT, easyJet, the Turkish-German carrier SunExpress, and the Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings.
Avion Express pilot falsified documentation
According to reporting, the pilot (believed to be a male) was only qualified to fly as a co-pilot for Avion Express but reportedly obtained his position as captain using forged certificates.
He previously flew as a first officer for the Indonesian airline Garuda. Avion Express is reported to have since fired the pilot.
A spokesperson for Avion Express said that the company is now investigating the matter regarding the pilot’s qualifications and any non-compliance that may have occurred.
In a statement issued to German-language aviation news website AeroTelegraph, a spokesperson for Avion Express said, “The company recently became aware of unverified information regarding [the pilot’s] professional experience. An internal investigation was immediately launched and is currently ongoing.”
The airline also emphasised that its recruitment procedures comply with all aviation regulations. “Safety and compliance remain our top priorities,” the spokesperson added. Avion Express has not provided any further details on the matter.
Meanwhile, a Eurowings spokesperson told the German newspaper BILD, “The investigation into the case is the responsibility of Avion Express and is not yet complete – we are currently waiting for the facts to be clarified.”
Avion Express undertakes an investigation
This matter raises serious questions as to how the individual was able to submit forged documents to the flight crew management at Avion Express and why those documents were not thoroughly checked and verified.
It may also open the carrier and its internal processes up to further scrutiny as to how such an oversight could have occurred.
To assume the position of captain normally relies on the production of documentary evidence confirming experience, along with proficiency tests with an experienced training captain, both in a simulator as well as during ‘live’ flights to verify the capabilities of that individual to operate flights as pilot-in-command.
Additionally, the airline itself is likely to be regularly examined by the national aviation authority concerned to ensure that all procedures are being complied with at all levels of the organisation, and will act with robust sanctions should this be found not to be the case.
There can be little doubt that the Lithuanian aviation authority, the Transport Safety Administration, will be taking a keen interest and a leading role in the investigation as to how this matter occurred and the processes around pilot recruitment and licence verification at Avion Express.
PIA has also seen falsified pilots’ licenses
There have previously been incidents where pilots have been discovered to be flying either with fake licenses or inadequate qualifications. The most publicised event, which was widely covered on global media, involved Pakistan’s national carrier, PIA.
Following an international safety audit in 2019, the carrier was found to have several pilots flying with fraudulent pilot’s licences.
While the company faced sanctions within Pakistan itself, the issue also led to wider ramifications, including an outright ban on the carrier operating in European airspace. It was only in 2024, after further safety audits by EASA, that the five-year ban was finally lifted.
The UK has just lifted its own ban on PIA, with the carrier finally resuming flights between Islamabad and Manchester on October 27 after a five-year hiatus.
Featured image: BriYYZ / Wikimedia Commons
