Air France-KLM signs the most important agreement in its history in terms of maintenance

[i"This agreement illustrates our ability to expand in a highly competitive sector. It is an additional success story for our maintenance division and positive for employment in a growing sector within the Group and confirms our development strategy within the framework of Transform 2015"[/i]

Alexandre de Juniac, Chairman and CEO of Air France

[i"Air China has been a privileged partner of AFI KLM E&M for several years. This agreement illustrates the high value and reputation of the services offered by AFI KLM E&M on the global market, especially in China. The offer was specifically designed to be in line with Air China’s needs, and shows Air China that AFI KLM E&M’s solutions provide the best guarantees in terms of reliability and performance"[/i]

Franck Terner, EVP Engineering and Maintenance at Air France-KLM

Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M), the specialist maintenance division of the Air France-KLM Group, has signed a major agreement for the maintenance of the GE90 engines powering Air China’s fleet of Boeing 777.

For a period of fifteen years, this new agreement is the most important in the history of AFI KLM E&M. It is part of a wider cooperation and is an extension of a successful relationship in the field of aircraft maintenance between AFI KLM E&M and Air China, which operates twenty 777-300ER aircraft and eight 777-200 freighters as part of its joint venture with Air China Cargo.

Leader for GE90 maintenance, with close to 400 engines maintained in the long term

Following an industrial scale development programme, AFI KLM E&M has acquired unique industrial means and expertise in the field of GE90 engine maintenance. With 80 years of experience as an operator and provider of aircraft maintenance, AFI KLM E&M offers a solid and competitive alternative to the services of the engine manufacturer thanks to its vast in-house repair, overhaul and testing capacities, as well as its expertise developed maintaining the engines of many international airlines. In 2014, AFI KLM E&M was named MRO of the Year by the magazine Airline Economics.

Certified solutions, means and procedures

To gain Air China’s trust and illustrate the performance and conformity of its facilities and working methods, AFI KLM E&M has followed the auditing and certification procedures of the CAAC, the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration and its customer. In 2012, the Group was given the CAAC’s approval for its new engine test bed dedicated to Very Big Engines (VBE), including the GE90.