Page 34 - AAA MARCH-APRIL 2012 Online Magazine

MRO

MRO NEWS

QANTAS EyES CuTS
In a recent radio interview, Australian
Employment Minister Bill Shorten
admitted that “Qantas is moving to
new airplanes which require less
maintenance.” Shorten didn’t actually
admit Qantas would cut MRO jobs, but
said: “If you’ve got a series of new cars
which don’t require you to go to the
BOMBARdIER IN create a full-service customer support mechanics as often you probably don’t
need as many mechanics.” Enough said.
SINgAPORE hub in the region to complement existing The oblique references continued from
regional networks in North America
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. He noted that
Bombardier is to open its second ever and Europe. “We want to ensure our as the airline’s older 747s are retired,
service centre outside of North America, customers in the Asia-Pacific region the “entire maintenance operation will
in Singapore, in 2013. The new service have access to the full range of customer be reconfigured.” He added that some
centre will form the cornerstone of support and services in their own time positions will be no longer needed thanks
customer services in Asia-Pacific zone and in their own region,” said Éric to more efficient aircraft such as the
with extensive Original Equipment Martel, President, Bombardier Customer A380 and 737s. He also noted that Qantas
Manufacturer (OEM)-backed service, and Services & Specialised and Amphibious maintenance will be consolidated with
will be capable of performing a variety of Aircraft. Martel said he estimated there most operations moved to Sydney from
maintenance tasks on all Bombardier, would be more than 1,100 business jets in current locations in Melbourne, Brisbane
Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft. service in the Asia-Pacific region by 2030, and Avalon. “We need to be ready to take
Together with existing facilities in the and he wanted Bombardier to be ready to tough decisions, and we must become
Asia-Pacific region, Bombardier will support existing and future customers. more flexible and productive,” added Joyce.

SRI LANkA – kLM SIgN
MRO operator AFI KLM E&M (AKE) has
signed a deal with SriLankan Airlines to
offer component support for the airline’s
A340 and A330 aircraft. AKE says the deal
will be based out of France and Singapore
and will offer what it calls “a wide range of
ambitious repair solutions” to SriLankan
Airlines. “Our dual airline/MRO profile
reassured SriLankan Airlines,” said
Fabrice Defrance, AKE Commercial SVP.
Apparently the deal was also sweetened
by “very competitive prices and a level
of quality” said DeFrance. SriLankan
Airlines Head of Engineering, Priyantha
Rose, said he was delighted with the new
partnership as AKE was a world leader in
A330 and A340 components support.
34 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MARCH / APRIL 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM