Lufthansa, Jet may ink deal for B777 support

Lufthansa Technik, which maintains 1400 airplanes worldwide, may sign a multi-million dollar contract with India's largest private airline Jet Airways to support its Boeing B777 aircraft.

Lufthansa Technik, a leading aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) major, is also planning to set up a regional component pool in India to support the existing customers.

Aage Dunhaupt, Director - International Communications, Lufthansa Technik said: "Lufthansa Technik has strong relationship with all Indian carriers. We may shortly sign a deal with the Naresh Goyal-promoted Jet Airways."

Dunhaupt declined to divulge further details adding "if the deal is taking place, it will be worth of couple of million dollars." Lufthansa Technik had recently signed an agreement with Jet Airways for technical and component support for its Airbus A340 and Boeing 737 aircraft fleet.

Executives pointed out that based on the increased volume of components, Lufthansa Technik's Indian subsidiary, One Stop Airline MRO Support, will set up a regional component pool to support existing customers as well as future customers within India.

August Wilhelm Henningsen, Chairman of the Executive Board at Lufthansa Technik said: "We are looking at strengthening our existing relationships with the Indian carriers and will expand our support programs, including a regional component pool, which will shorten delivery times and increase reliability."

At present, Indian carriers are depending upon Middle East, Singapore or Europe for aircraft component support and a regional pool in India would help the domestic carriers, said an industry expert.

Last month, Kingfisher Airlines and Lufthansa Technik signed a contract amendment for an exclusive technical support of the new Airbus A320 fleet - an extension of an existing contract of 17 aircraft, initially.

This would mean over the next ten years, Lufthansa Technik Group will serve the Kingfisher Airline A320 family fleet with the provision of components at the carrier's hub in Mumbai.

The Wadia-promoted budget carrier GoAir also send its V2500 engines for repair and overhaul to Lufthansa Technik, while this German major provides various component repairs as well as structural parts to Air-India and Indian Airlines.

Lufthansa Technik, which is leader in the MRO business, is a member company of Lufthansa Group.

(This correspondent's trip to Hamburg was sponsored by Lufthansa)