Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways is growing its global MRO network as it ramps up plans for more European routes and a larger fleet. The airline has signed a cluster of recent maintenance agreements related to engine, airframe and component support for its fleet of Airbus A320 family, Boeing 787 and Embraer E190 aircraft.
This week, the airline selected Revima to provide A320 and A321 landing gear overhauls from its new facility in Chonburi, Thailand. Revima began operations at the facility in summer 2021 and CEO Olivier Legrand says it has been working hard to ensure the facility is operating on par with its legacy site in France. Bamboo Airways is Revima’s first customer in Vietnam.
On March 22, Bamboo Airways signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Lao Airlines to establish a maintenance base at the Laos national carrier’s hangar at Vientiane Wattay International Airport. Under the agreement, the maintenance base will provide a range of services for Bamboo Airways’ A320 and A321 fleet, including repairs, C checks and unscheduled maintenance.
Earlier this month, the airline signed two MOUs with European MRO providers. On March 12 it signed an MOU with AFI KLM E&M related to adaptive support solutions that builds on its existing contracts with the MRO. Under the MOU, AFI KLM E&M could potentially extend its field engine support for the airline, including shop visits for the GEnx engines powering its 787s and A320s. It could also provide C checks for 787s at its facilities in Amsterdam and line maintenance services across the airline’s extended stopover network. Bamboo Airways would also have access to AFI KLM E&M subsidiary Epcor’s APU maintenance capabilities, which could support the APS2300 APUs on its E190s and the APS5000 APUs on its 787s.
On March 15 Bamboo Airways also signed an MOU with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) valued at €100 million (approximately $110 million). The companies plan to explore a range of cooperation areas, including comprehensive component support for A320 and 787 aircraft, engine maintenance services for CF34, LEAP-1A and V2500 platforms, and other support requirements.
According to Bamboo Airways CEO Dang Tat Thang, LHT’s “aircraft maintenance support will help increase operational capacity, service quality and competitiveness of Bamboo Airways on [an] extensive international network, especially our operated and upcoming European routes.”
This will include LHT providing support solutions for Bamboo Airways’ new routes to Germany. The airline entered the European market in February with a route from Hanoi to Frankfurt and it is looking to add another route from Ho Chi Minh City, as well as routes to Berlin and Munich.
LHT says its maintenance services will also support the airline’s fleet growth.
“With Bamboo Airways gaining momentum on its further fleet growth, we are excited to be exploring various collaborative possibilities by leveraging our wide-ranging capabilities on fleet types operated by Bamboo,” says Zang Thio, LHT’s vice president of corporate sales for Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. “We strongly believe that with some of our unique propositions, including our in-region pool inventory as well as our comprehensive LEAP engine capabilities, we will be able to provide the reliable support needed to ensure the operational stability of Bamboo’s fast-growing fleet.”
At the Singapore Airshow in February, Bamboo Airways signaled interest in adding the 777X to its fleet. It also has 10 more 787s on order, which it will use to support its plans to expand into more international markets.
The airline also signed an MOU with SR Technics at the Singapore Airshow. Valued at $60 million, the MOU is focused on CFM56-5B engine maintenance. According to the airline, the agreement also paves the way for exploration into other areas of cooperation, including training services, technical services and component repair.
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