Jet, Kingfisher in talks with Bial for repair shops

Bangalore/Mumbai: Jet Airways (India) Ltd and Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, two of India’s biggest airlines, plan to locate their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities at the new international airport being built in Bangalore. Apart from their own aircraft, the two companies plan to use their MROs to service the planes of other airlines that will operate from the airport.
Bangalore International Airport Ltd (Bial), the company building the airport, said it was holding talks with the two airlines for setting up MROs. “These are the only companies we are in negotiations with,” said Albert Brunner, chief executive officer of Bial. He did not set a time-frame by when a deal would be concluded.
A May 2006 report by the Aeronautical Society of India, an industry body, said the Indian MRO market would exceed $1.1 billion (Rs4,367 crore) in revenues by 2010.
“A good Indian airline is better than a foreign airline or a company (from the point of view of setting up an MRO at the airport),” said Brunner, adding that with a maintenance base, the local airline can use the airport as a hub for its global operations.
Executives at both the airlines confirmed plans for MROs in Bangalore.
29/11/07 K. Raghu and P.R. Sanjai/Livemint

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Categories: Airports Nov 2007, Jet Airways Nov 2007, Kingfisher Nov 2007, New Nov 2007