A new chapter for Wright International as Canadian aviation continues to diversify

Canada's aviation market is rapidly diversifying as passenger numbers from non-US international destinations soar. Flexible and tailored MRO services are playing a vital role in enabling global airlines and leasing companies to ramp up their presence in Canada. Donatas Dockus, CEO of MRO provider FL Technics – affiliated Wright International, reveals how the company’s global roots and the local precision are enabling airlines worldwide to operate in Canada with greater confidence and agility.

Tapping into an international network

Transborder travel between the US and Canada remains substantial: according to aviation data platform OAG, it is the 5th most flown country-to-country crossing in the world. Nevertheless, the volume of US-Canada flights has dropped in 2025. However, strong growth in other international flights helps pick up the slack from this drop. According to Statistics Canada, the non-US international sector has increased significantly since 2022. Passenger numbers on these flights grew from 25.6 million in 2022 to 38.9 million in 2024.

Wright International, a member of FL Technics Group, which in turn is part of the Avia Solutions Group, is well positioned to support the increased volume of international flights from non-US locations. "Along with our Transport Canada approvals, we have authorizations for many other regions, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Europe. This makes us a trusted partner for carriers from these regions who are already operating in Canada or looking to expand here," says Donatas Dockus, CEO of Wright International.

Beyond licensing, there is a wealth of international know-how within the Wright International team that can support global carriers and leasing companies in their operations in Canada.

"Personally speaking, I have been in the FL Technics Group for 13 years, including work across Europe and in Asia," says Dockus. "Within FL Technics and the wider Avia Solutions Group, there are connections and experts who can support airlines from anywhere in the world. Within Wright International, we can offer the engineering solutions needed in the North American region, combined with a deep understanding of international aviation. For example, we could comfortably support European leasing companies with engineering solutions and annual inspections here in Canada, removing the need for them to send their own teams," says Dockus.

Overcoming geographic challenges

Having worked in MRO teams on multiple continents, Donatas Dockus is well aware of the unique challenges Canada poses. "Geography and climate play a major role – distances are vast and many airports are in remote locations," he explains. "Weather is by far the toughest factor for line maintenance and AOG support. Despite extreme conditions, our teams are there for customers when it matters most, even responding to call-outs at 4am in minus-30-degree temperatures."

Another distinctive feature of Canadian aviation is that the population is widely and unevenly distributed. "Recruiting and hiring is a challenge in MRO operations across the globe," comments Dockus. "In Canada, this challenge is a little more acute, as some locations are remote and have relatively small populations, which is less common in regions like Asia or LATAM. The solution is simple – we make careful calculations in terms of new stations, and then invest in training and developing the local talent needed to support long-term operations."

Flexibility and tailored solutions built on a solid foundation

Wright International is now entering an exciting and dynamic phase of its 27-year history as it looks to expand its tailored line maintenance services to more airlines and additional locations.

"We operate in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, and have recently added a new station in Halifax. We also have seasonal stations in Quebec City, Ottawa, and Winnipeg. This ongoing expansion puts us in a strong position to offer flexible line maintenance solutions across Canada," explains Dockus.

In total, Wright International now operates seven stations at international airports across Canada: Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Montreal-Trudeau (YUL), Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier (YOW), Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson (YWG), Vancouver (YVR), Halifax Stanfield (YHZ), and Québec City Jean Lesage (YQB). "Each of these stations boasts certified personnel with the capability to service a wide range of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, including Boeing and Airbus models and regional aircraft," says Donatas Dockus.

At present, Wright International works on the Airbus A220, A320 family, A330/330 NEO, A340, and A350, and the Boeing 737 family, 777, 787, 757 and 767, along with regional aircraft including Embraer.

Wright International currently holds the following approvals: TCCA (Transport Canada AMO), EASA, GACA (Saudi Arabia), 2 REG, CAAF (Fiji Authority), Egyptian CAA, Moroccan DAC, DGCA (Turkish), and QCAA (Qatar).  It provides line maintenance up to 'A' level checks, along with AOG support. "We offer a 24/7 service in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Our experienced engineers carry out thousands of routine checks per month. And our depth in experience allows us to handle unexpected occurrences in an efficient and safety-conscious manner. We also have major storage facilities for spares and components in Toronto," comments Dockus.

"Naturally, Wright International works closely with airlines to carry out thorough evaluations and deliver precise, safe and efficient AOG support. Our on-call maintenance support can be set up at any airport that our clients operate from," Dockus continues. "We also provide a call-out service where we will fly our team to more remote airports and provide AOG support there. We can also support aircraft leasing companies with engineering services anywhere in Canada."

"In summary, we have a wide range of highly flexible services available that can be tailored to the needs of individual airlines and leasing companies."

"Going forward, we are working on further strengthening our team's operational capabilities to enable us to support even more airline partners. We are ready to offer bespoke packages to new partners and build attractive packages with our existing partners as well," adds Dockus.

A customer-centric approach

According to Donatas Dockus, one key element of Wright International's offering is customer service. "We are a very customer-oriented organization," he explains.

"We truly look after our clients. This is something that the FL Technics Group is well known for internationally, and we are certainly bringing this approach to Wright International to our work in Canada," he continues. "For us, aircraft maintenance is not a numbers game. It is about quality and reliability rather than just quantity. Moreover, we always build strong connections with our clients so we can collaborate closely and develop packages and services that meet their exact needs."

Because of this approach, Wright International places a lot of focus on after service and open communication. "Being available is very important," comments Dockus. "We dedicate a lot of our time and energy to ensure we deliver on our promises and aim to provide maintenance without delays. We also prioritize after service to ensure the entire process is smooth for our customers."

Part of the company’s flexible approach is a readiness to support seasonal operators in Canada. "We are continuously looking at trends in terms of where airlines are flying to in Canada, and are exploring new locations for seasonal deployments," he adds.

Long-term vision

Wright International's long-term vision is to achieve national coverage while simultaneously training up its team for various aircraft types.  "We are targeting ongoing growth over the long-term, which means bringing on new clients, deepening our relationships with existing clients, and expanding our coverage in Canada," explains Dockus. "And we want our team to be ready and available to support every type of aircraft, including next-generation models that are coming online. This will require extensive investment in our people, as manpower will remain a key challenge to overcome."

"This growth will be building on our existing brand and work at Wright International," Donatas Dockus concludes. "We offer high levels of flexibility and tailoring for our clients, and our ambition is to combine this with even wider and more comprehensive coverage."