Air France-KLM and Airbus today announced that Air France SA (“Air France”) and Airbus SAS (“Airbus”) have entered into exclusive negotiations to establish a joint venture for the provision on a worldwide basis of Airbus A350 component maintenance services (supply chain management, repairs, creation of a worldwide pool of aircraft components).

The envisaged cooperation would take the form of a 50-50 joint venture between Air France and Airbus and involve the transfer of aircraft components assets belonging to both partners into the joint venture’s pool.

This joint venture, combining the expertise of Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance and Airbus, would entail an optimized commercial offering, aimed at better meeting the growing long-term maintenance needs of the Airbus A350 worldwide fleet (more than 1,000 aircraft on order and 550 currently in service worldwide) through enhanced capacity, an expanded global footprint, and the development of innovative solutions to the benefit of the customers.

The objective is for the joint venture to be operational by the first half of 2024 in line with all compliance requirements and subject to approval by all relevant authorities.

Anne Brachet, Executive Vice President Air France-KLM Engineering & Maintenance, declared: “This project aims to bring customers the best expertise of our two companies on a product as high-tech as the A350. We will be able to better respond to the needs of the market, and to guarantee the satisfaction of our customers over the long term, with support solutions that are always responsive, of high quality and at the right price".

Cristina Aguilar, Senior Vice President Customer Services at Airbus, added: “We’re in the business of offering the very best service to our customers, and as the world’s A350 fleet grows, so does the necessary support. Air France-KLM Engineering & Maintenance and Airbus have a long-standing relationship and pooling our complementary A350 component skills and capabilities will deliver an enhanced service.”