JUSTIN WASTNAGE / MOSCOW
Stronger ties could lead to collaboration on maintenance centre construction in Moscow
Lufthansa Technik (LHT) is strengthening co-operation with Russian flag carrier Aeroflot in a move that could lead to a full joint venture maintenance centre being established in Moscow. The Lufthansa subsidiary is set to establish itself as the first overhaul provider of Western types in Russia if import tariffs are lifted later this year.
Several Russian airlines have expressed interest in adding Airbus or Boeing aircraft to their fleets once a widely predicted end or reduction to import taxes and sales tax occurs. The duties can add around 46% to an aircraft price. LHT overhauls Aeroflot's Airbus A310s, A320 family aircraft, Boeing 737s, 767s and McDonnell Douglas DC-10s and says it will "encourage further co-operation" with Aeroflot's maintenance arm, whose engineers work on site at LHT's Hamburg facility.
Dmitri Zaitsev, LHT's regional director for Russia and the CIS, says a joint venture with Aeroflot is "not the end goal in itself", but after maintenance demand for Western types in Russia reaches "critical mass" there would be a need for a permanent base in Moscow.
"Within several years there should be around 180 Western aircraft in Russia requiring overhauls," says Zaitsev. "We have a buyer/supplier relationship with Aeroflot, but we would be interested in a deeper relationship to meet the demand for line and heavy maintenance of these types," he adds. Any joint venture would also service modern Russian types, says Zaitsev.
LHT has launched a co-operation agreement with Uzbekistan Airways Technics to create a maintenance centre in Tashkent. A first heavy check will take place in November.
Source: Flight International
