Kenya Airways (KQ) and Lufthansa TechniK AG have entered into a long-term contract for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services as well as the supply of aircraft parts for KQ's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners maintenance schedule through 2028.
DALLAS - Kenya Airways (KQ) and Lufthansa TechniK AG have entered into a long-term contract for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services as well as the supply of aircraft parts for KQ's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners maintenance schedule through 2028. KQ's nine Boeing 787-8s will subsequently receive the proven Total Component Support (TCS) at the Hamburg-based division of the Lufthansa Group.
Additionally, the agreement will grant KQ access to Lufthansa Technik's global parts pool, enabling it to significantly boost the availability of spare parts for the fleet of Dreamliners cost-effectively.
The contract covers the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), supply of components, AOG (Aircraft On Ground) support, various parts-pooling and logistics services. The two businesses' strong collaboration will allow Kenya Airways to run its technical operations as efficiently as possible and ensure that spare parts are always available. The initial services got underway in May.
The arrangement was negotiated after numerous aircraft returned to service following the post-Covid-19 pandemic, necessitating maintenance and servicing, according to KQ's Boss Allan Kilavuka. "Due to increased demand in air travel, Kenya Airways embarked on a journey of returning to service aircraft that were parked during the pandemic," Mr Kilavuka added.
He further addressed the shortage of aircraft parts by saying, "This resulted in an increased demand for parts to make aircraft ready for flight. There has been a worldwide shortage of some raw materials negatively affecting some aircraft parts availability."
According to a statement from Lufthansa's Vice President of Corporate Sales for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Kai-Stefan Roepke, KQ will be able to drastically reduce risks in the global supply chain for airplane parts thanks to access to their extensive global network of material and part pools. He further stated, "We look forward to supporting Kenya Airways in the best possible way through our Total Component Support. This applies to the post-pandemic ramp-up phase as well as to the coming years of our cooperation."
A global raw material shortage has harmed some aeroplane parts' availability. By becoming less reliant on the existing state of the worldwide supply chain, this arrangement will assist KQ in addressing the lack of plane parts, a significant worry for airlines worldwide following the post-Covid-19 pandemic.
The substantial experience, expertise, and global network of material and component pools of Lufthansa Technik will play a significant role in fortifying the cooperation and ensuring efficient operations for the Kenyan flag carrier.
Lufthansa TechniK AG provides civil, commercial VIP and special mission aircraft with maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification services.
The company holds international licenses for maintenance, design and production, providing tailored maintenance programs, modification, completion and conversion, as well as innovative cabin products, material pooling or engine services. They also supply digital fleet support.
https://airwaysmag.com/emirates-kenya-airways-interline-partnership/
Featured Image: KQ's Boeing 787-8. Photo : Misael Ocasio/ Airways.
