UK low-cost carrier easyJet has re-launched its engineering apprenticeship program and is preparing to take its Berlin hangar maintenance in-house from Lufthansa Technik in early 2023.
At the release of its first-half results on May 19, easyJet announced that it had resumed its engineering apprenticeship scheme as part of the airline’s focus on early careers.
“We are currently in the assessment stage of the applicants and are targeting September/October to commence this year’s cohort,” an easyJet spokesperson told Aviation Week.
Separately, the company is progressing with insourcing some maintenance functions, which has been ongoing for the past two years.
In June 2020, easyJet took over its Berlin line maintenance from Lufthansa Technic, followed by a similar line maintenance insourcing from SR Technics in March 2021, affecting operations at Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“We will take over the hangar maintenance in Berlin from Lufthansa in January 2023,” the easyJet spokesperson said.
This forms part of easyJet’s cost-focus, aimed at giving it an advantage over its major competitors.
“This action is delivering cost savings but also ensures the best quality as we carry out the line maintenance in house,” the carrier said.
First-half group maintenance costs rose 44% to £157 million, while airline cost-per-seat decreased 70% to £5.16 ($6.47), or 69.4% at constant currency.
“This cost per seat decrease was driven by the fixed element of our maintenance costs, which have been spread over increased capacity in the period,” easyJet said.
EasyJet’s total fleet comprised 322 aircraft as of March 31, 2022, with nine aircraft deliveries anticipated in FY22, six in FY23, 18 in FY24 and 26 in FY25.
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