BGS achieves 100% on-time performance with Wizz Air two months in a row

In June, for the second consecutive month, Baltic Ground Services (BGS), an international ground handling, aircraft fuel supply and logistics service provider, and part of Avia Solutions Group, the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider, achieved 100% on-time performance for Wizz Air flights at Vilnius Airport. The company was able to achieve this result despite the summer season increase of passengers and the typical challenges associated with the summer vacation period.

Flight delays are common during the summer months mainly due to the increased number of flights and passengers. IATA data shows that passenger demand jumped by 9.1% in June, with load factors at 85%. Industry professionals predict that this summer may be the worst  in history in terms of the number of delayed flights.

And the summer vacation season is not the only reason why flights get delayed. For example, on June 25, Belgium experienced a 24-hour national strike, which halted all outgoing flights. According to Vitalis Dudys, BGS Group Head of Commerce, considering all these factors, the 100% on-time performance becomes even more impressive.

“In aviation, summer is both the busiest and most chaotic season. There are numerous reasons for this – crowds, strikes, weather conditions, and so on. Ground handling services are complex in and of themselves, and in such circumstances, the margin for any errors becomes even smaller. It’s all the more reason to feel proud of this achievement,” he says.

Meanwhile, Grzegorz Michalec, Ground Operations Manager at Wizz Air, emphasizes that during the summer months, every minute counts, as airlines face a more challenging environment due to limited Air Traffic Management (ATC) slots, airport capacity, and high demand. Even a single minute can mean a missed ATC slot, resulting in additional hours of delays, a disrupted crew roster, canceled flights, and disappointed and frustrated customers.

“The BGS ground handling team perfectly understands what’s at stake here and perfectly collaborated with Wizz Air crews, consistently going the extra mile and making sure that our passengers would get to their destination safely and on time. This type of commitment makes operations better and smoother,” he says.

Achieving 100% punctuality in aviation remains rare. In most cases, airlines set their ground handling service-providing partners with a target of 97-98%. According to Mr. Dudys, BGS itself has an internal goal of 99.2%, which is also unusually ambitious by industry standards.

“Achieving 100% punctuality for two consecutive months is one of the most significant results an airport ground handling company can achieve, because we are only as good as the services we provide. Over the years, BGS was able to gather a team full of professionals who create real value for the clients,” he says.