EasyJet is set to disclose within the next month the winner of a contract to retrofit Airbus A320s with a higher-density seat layout.
Speaking to Flightglobal in Paris on 14 April, technical director Ian Davies said the UK budget airline was near to closing a tender for a contract to add Space-Flex interiors to 105 aircraft, increasing their individual seat capacity from 180 to 186.
Davies says Iberia, SR Technics, Lufthansa Technik, ST Aerospace and Dublin Aerospace were among the providers that participated in the tender, but while the victor has already been chosen contract details still need to be "nailed down", he adds.
The majority of each retrofit kit is being supplied by Airbus but will be fitted by the chosen MRO provider.
Separately, Davies says EasyJet is on track with construction of a new prefabricated maintenance hangar at London Gatwick and expects the facility to open within five weeks.
He says a first bay of the maintenance hangar will be open within two weeks and the second will be operational in the following three weeks. The hangar will give EasyJet the ability to carry out light maintenance at Gatwick, after Virgin Atlantic six months ago terminated a contract to perform such work for the budget operator at the London airport.
Regarding the staffing of the facility, Davies says Lufthansa Technik will provide the "[Part] 145 element" at the hangar, overseen by an EasyJet management team.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
