Recently, Avion Express has appointed Artūras Vegys as its new Vice President Fleet. For an experienced specialist, such an important career turn didn’t happen overnight and Artūras’ story proves to be an inspiring example to follow.
Over just a few years that Artūras has been a part of Avion Express, he has helped tremendously to lead the company forward to its largest fleet of 22 Airbus A320 family aircraft and has rightfully gone up the career ladder more than once.
Artūras stepped into the aviation world accidentally, he admits. “I did study Aviation Mechanics at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University Antanas Gustaitis’ Aviation Institute (VGTU AGAI) as my bachelor’s degree, and I wanted to attain proficiency in Business Management – for the latter I obtained my master’s degree. But aviation has never left my life”.
Back when he was a student, Artūras used the opportunity to experience a real “hands-on” practice within the industry, as he started working as an Aircraft Technician. Artūras has been responsible for basic maintenance of small aircraft. As time moved on, later he dived deeper into the industry, working as Ramp Agent, Maintenance Coordinator and Lead Planning Engineer in various companies in Lithuania.
In 2015 he received an opportunity to join Avion Express as Airworthiness Review Staff. Although over several years Artūras got acquainted with particularities of aviation, he admits that he had to learn a lot when he first started. „Of course, everything comes with practice. There were many things I had to learn myself and to find that perfect balance between effective work and being comfortable with what I do and where I am“.
Artūras worked hard and soon his dedication started bringing results not only to the company but to his career at Avion Express as well. After two years, Artūras was promoted to Fleet Manager. Being a highly motivated professional that he is, Artūras invests a lot of time and effort into himself and his knowledge, because his job requires always being up-to-date and attentiveness to detail. „It takes a lot of endurance and day-to-day improvement,“ – says Artūras.
„But I like it. I like broadening my knowledge and skills, diving into the process. I used to think that aviation was the industry with strict rules where everything is counted and written down. But as I dived into it, I realised that it‘s not entirely true, and although there are indeed institutions that regulate the industry, it‘s nothing like a conveyer where everything is preprogrammed.“
In recent years, Artūras worked tirelessly to help Avion Express expand its fleet to 22 Airbus A320 family aircraft – the largest fleet that Avion Express has had so far. The effort that he has been putting into the company‘s prosperity and his skills in fleet management brought Artūras a new career opportunity – to become Avion Express Vice President Fleet.
“Getting promoted to this position was a significant step for me, but I would rather say that the only change occurred in my business card. I further continued with coordination of aircraft leasing/sales contracts, organization of aircraft acceptance and redeliveries process, establishing networks with potential and current customers in every international conference I take part in, just as performing my other duties every day,” – says Artūras.
Since Artūras became part of Avion Express team in 2015, the number of employees in the office has surged from 60 to 150. The company, he admits, evolved in many aspects: “We are much more advanced than we were four years ago in terms of process coordination and professionalism. The last couple of years have been truly a breaking point for our development. Now we’ve reached a maturity level when it’s all about improving our workflow and expanding”.
Every job provides different challenges, however, for Artūras it is flexibility and dynamism that fascinates and drives him forward every day: “There is no routine in my job because aviation is a dynamic industry, ACMI market especially and it is essential to adapt. For example, in the early morning or night, you are on the phone call with partners in New Zealand, while in the evening you are communicating with the USA. It is also a changing work environment that is compelling in this job – today you could be in Colombia fixing the contract details and after a couple of days you will be in Turkey to facilitate new cooperation agreements“.
„The market flexibility allows you not only expand your professional skills and work with various airlines around the world but also broaden your horizon and see the world from a different, global perspective. I want to be always in the driving seat and see how my work results directly influence the outcome of the processes. And I wouldn‘t change a thing about my career,“ – says Artūras.
