Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) and Airbus have announced that Air France SA (Air France) and Airbus SAS (Airbus) are to engage in exclusive negotiations to establish a joint venture (JV) for the global provision of maintenance services for Airbus A350 components.

This collaboration would encompass supply chain management, repair services, and the creation of a worldwide pool of aircraft components.

The proposed partnership would take the form of a 50-50 JV between Air France and Airbus, and will involve aircraft components from both partners to be transferred into the JV’s shared resource pool.

This JV, uniting the capabilities of Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) and Airbus, will result in an improved commercial proposition. Its primary goal is to more effectively address the increasing, long-term maintenance requirements of the global Airbus A350 fleet, which includes over 1,000 aircraft on order and 550 currently operational worldwide. This will be achieved through enhanced capacity, a broader global presence, and the creation of innovative solutions that will ultimately benefit customers.

Anne Brachet, executive vice president of AFI KLM E&M, said: “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 of customer services at Airbus, said: “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.”

The JV is expected to be operational by the first half of 2024 in line with all compliance requirements and subject to approval by all relevant authorities.