Virgin Atlantic has selected Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance to provide component and APU support for its on-order Boeing 787 fleet.

The long-term contract covers equipment repairs, access to the MRO group’s spare-parts pool and provision of an equipment kit at the airline’s London base, says AFI KLM E&M.

Virgin has ordered 16 787-9s, Flightglobal’s Ascend Online database shows. Deliveries are due to begin later this year, says AFI KLM E&M.

The maintenance contract is an extension of an existing co-operation between the UK carrier and the MRO group. AFI KLM E&M is servicing components for Virgin Atlantic’s 747 and Airbus A330/ A340 fleet, and maintaining the CFM International CFM56-5C engines powering A340-300s.

The deal will strengthen the MRO provider’s position in the UK market and “on the high-growth Dreamliner product”, says Ton Dortmans, executive vice-president for the group's Dutch operations.

Source: Cirium Dashboard