EasyJet is considering options to perform all of the heavy maintenance on its rapidly expanding Airbus A319 fleet in eastern Europe. The UK-based low-cost carrier is contacting interested parties in countries across the region, as well as Turkey, to assess their interest in the project and what level of investment incentive they could offer.
The project is designed to see how easyJet could exploit the advantage of low labour rates in the region - estimated to be about half those of western Europe - as it prepares its maintenance programme for the 120 A319s it is inducting into its fleet over the next several years.
In addition to exploring an insourcing option in eastern Europe, easyJet is negotiating with several major maintenance firms for its A319 business. Today, easyJet has a joint venture with FLS Aerospace, which was bought by SR Technics earlier this year, to maintain its Boeing 737 fleet, while SR Technics is looking after its first batch of A319s.
EasyJet wants its new solution to begin operating from around the middle of 2005. However, depending on the type of servicing programme it adopts, the need for heavy maintenance will not arise for three to four years.
One of the reasons easyJet is looking east for maintenance is its frustration at the lack of creative thinking on the part of service suppliers.
Source: Airline Business
