What Airbus and Air France’s new joint venture means for global A350 operators

Airbus and Air France have launched a new joint venture named ‘Alpha Component Solutions’, through a shared ambition to support global A350 operators and their maintenance requirements.

The new Airbus and Air France-KLM entity will manage a worldwide shared-access pool, providing aircraft component assets, maintenance services, supply chain management and repairs for global A350 customers.

By combining Airbus’ Flight Hours Services (FHS) and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M), the ambition is to provide an enhanced solution that will address the expanding long-term component maintenance requirements of the global Airbus A350 fleet.

The first Airbus A350 entered service in 2015 with Qatar Airways. So far Airbus has delivered 737 A350 aircraft and has orders for 1,624 more.

Largest A350 operatorsAircraftSingapore Airlines65Qatar Airways64Cathay Pacific48Air France43Delta Air Lines42Turkish Airlines35Lufthansa31Emirates29Air China28Japan Airlines28

The companies aim to provide A350 operators with a “broader support network” and “solutions tailored to their operational needs”.

“This joint venture represents a major step forward in enhancing our A350 component support, bringing together the expertise and resources of both Airbus and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance to deliver optimized solutions to our customers worldwide,” Cristina Aguilar Grieder, Senior Vice President Customer Services Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, said.

According to Airbus and Air France-KLM, the joint venture already contractually supports more than 500 aircraft and with a rapidly growing A350 market there is a need for expansion.

KLM

Airbus said that Alpha Component Solutions will “set a new standard for component pooling and maintenance integration, optimizing the A350 aftermarket landscape”.

“For A350 operators, reliable access to components is essential to maintaining fleet availability and operational performance,” Anne Brachet, Executive Vice President Air France-KLM Engineering & Maintenance, said. “At AFI KLM E&M, we combine extensive maintenance expertise with firsthand airline operational experience[…] Our focus is on helping airlines maintain reliable operations as their fleets continue to grow.”

Data provided by ch-aviation.

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