Air France Industries (AFI) and Lufthansa Technik are targeting at least 30% of the current market for A380 component support by 2015 through their Spairliners joint venture. Speaking at the MRO Europe exhibition in Berlin, chief executive Jean-Luc Fattelay said this could involve 50-60 aircraft.
Spairliners has its headquarters in Hamburg and could grow to employ around 15-20 staff there. It is due to begin warehousing A380 components at AFI’s base in Paris from the beginning of 2007, Fattelay says. The company’s operational centre, including central stock location, logistics platform and logistics management will be in Paris.
The company expects to target other locations. “Depending on the development of our business, we might set up regional stocks close to operational bases, but it is too early to say now,” Fattelay says. The Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and North America are among the possibilities.Fattelay says Spairliners will be able to offer other A380 operators cost savings, as well as the know-how gained from operating the aircraft. The companies’ sister airlines Air France and Lufthansa have 25 A380s on order.
HELEN MASSY-BERESFORD/HAMBURG
Source: Flight International
