Virgin Atlantic extends heavy maintenance contract with AFI KLM E&M
23-Sep-2009 Virgin Atlantic Ltd has extended its contract for heavy airframe maintenance on its B747-400 passenger jets. With the first agreement signed with Air France Industries and KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) in July 2008 due to expire on 31 December 2010, the UK carrier decided to extend the contract for a further year.
The contract covers Boeing 747-400 heavy maintenance. Nine major overhauls (C and D checks) are already scheduled for 2011 at AFI KLM E&M facilities at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.
Virgin Atlantic and AFI KLM E&M have a long-standing commercial relationship. Since the mid-1990s, the MRO has been supplying a range of maintenance services for the fleet of the UK's second-largest carrier, and its B747-400s in particular.
Philip Maher, Director of Engineering at Virgin Atlantic Ltd said: "I trust we can continue to build on the strong relationship we have established and continue to work together to achieve our mutual goals the coming years."
"This contract extension echoes last December's renewal of the component maintenance contract signed by our two companies," said Peter de Swert, KLM E&M Executive Vice President. "It offers further proof of Virgin Atlantic's continually renewed trust in the combined AFI KLM E&M organization."