By Charlotte Seet
AFI KLM E&M Inks New Deals, Prepares for A220
Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) announced on April 28 that it has signed numerous new deals and service offerings for its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business. These will include new services for the Airbus A220-300 and a new deal signed with Corendon Dutch Airlines, Falgayras and Gulf Air.
Based on its airline-MRO mindset, AFI KLM E&M developed and launched its A220 maintenance solutions designed for the operators.
In 2019, the Air France-KLM Group announced a new order for 60 Airbus A220-300s to replace its current existing fleet of Airbus A318 and A319 aircraft. With the first Air France A220 set to fly in September 2021, AFI KLM E&M has finalized its supply chain and industrial development program with the goal of positioning itself as a major player in the maintenance of this new aircraft and to show that it is ready to support operators of this narrow-body aircraft worldwide.
“Whether in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania, we are opening up new alternative routes for A220 operators by offering them competitive, reliable and proven solutions. Convinced of the airline-MRO mindset of our solutions, several A220 operators have already shown great interest in joining the AFI KLM E&M components pool.” Benjamin Moreau, SVP AFI KLM E&M Components Product said in a press release.
The Dutch arm of the Corendon Group, Corendon Dutch Airlines, has not only renewed but extended its component support agreement with AFI KLM E&M. The contract provides for adaptive services such as maintenance and repair, as well as the provision of spare parts.
Extension of the contact also now covers the airline’s Boeing 737NG and upcoming 737 MAX fleets. In addition, maintenance operations will be carried out by AFI KLM E&M and Boeing partner teams under their joint 737 Component Support Program.
AFI KLM E&M counts Corendon Dutch Airlines among its long-standing customers, providing engine and component maintenance services to the Dutch airline under a cooperation agreement that began back in 2014. The airline-MRO has adapted its offering to convince Corendon Dutch Airlines to continue this partnership, adding to its offer the rental of its hangars in Amsterdam.
“We are delighted to have concluded this component support contract with AFI KLM E&M. We believe that this contract will deliver great value to Corendon Dutch Airlines both in terms of the quality of the support provided and in the overall contract cost. We opted for a reliable concept with a trusted partner,” said Freek van der Pal, Managing Director at Corendon Dutch Airlines.
With this new contract on the Boeing 737NG and 737 MAX, AFI KLM E&M has managed to secure its leading MRO position on the 737 MAX, which has been allowed to resume flights by different regulators worldwide in the past several months.
“Our expertise on the 737 derives from our privileged position as an MRO owned by airlines which themselves operate this aircraft. This means we can guarantee our clients stable, predictable performance and all-around knowledge of the operational issues likely to arise during revenue service, ” Olaf Hoftijzer, AFI KLM E&M Vice President Sales Europe & Key Accounts said.
The American subsidiary of AFI KLM E&M, Barfield Inc., has signed an agreement to become the exclusive distributor and warranty repair center for Falgaryas’ Wiper Motors operated on the Airbus A220. This agreement will support the products in the Americas.
Based in Toulouse, the French company Falgaryas provides aeronautical and industrial equipment, insuring the verification, repair, maintenance and overhaul of air board instruments and accessories, as well as the verification and overhaul of measure and test equipment in metrology.
“The signing of this Agreement shows that our partnership with Falgayras remains strong. We appreciate their confidence in our highly skilled technicians and engineers and our overall ability to support their products in our region, as we have for the past few years,” says Hervé Page, CEO of Barfield.
Bahrain national carrier Gulf Air has continued its relationship with AFI KLM E&M by renewing a support agreement for the airline’s all-Airbus A320 and A321 fleet. This long-term agreement includes pool access, repair, advanced pool and transportation support.
In 2016, the airline ordered the A320neo and A321neo aircraft to replace its older A320 fleet, and will now rely on the airline-MRO to supply the necessary “neo” components, as well as provide comprehensive component maintenance-by-the-hour support covering component exchange, repair, overhaul, modification, reliability monitoring and logistics services for both the new and old fleets of aircraft. This agreement is a renewal of an earlier contract for similar support services for a term of six years.
The AFI KLM E&M program has gained popularity worldwide recently. For a fixed rate per hour, airlines select a range of support services and pay a pre-determined rate. In this way, operators are able to keep operating costs low and also minimize fixed asset inventory holdings in terms of spares or maintenance equipment.
“AFI KLM E&M has demonstrated, during our relationship spanning over more than 10 years, that they are the right partner for Gulf Air as we drive forward with our fleet renewal program in preparation to welcome more new aircraft to replace and modernize our fleet. Their expertise and their airline-MRO profile, which gives them a perfect understanding of our operations, convinced us to extend our partnership,” Captain Waleed AlAlawi, Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement.
Fascinated by aircraft from a very young age, Charlotte’s dream was to work alongside the big birds one day. Pursuing her dream, she went on to achieve her diploma in Aviation Management and is currently working on her degree in Aviation Business in Administration with a minor in Air Traffic Management. When she’s not busy with school assignments, you can find her aircraft spotting for long hours at the airport. In Charlotte’s heart, the Queen of the Skies will always be her favorite aircraft.
