Japanese airline StarFlyer and MRO company Lufthansa Technik have signed a long-term contract for engine MRO services for the airline’s Airbus A320ceo and A320neo fleets.

Lufthansa Technik state it will provide StarFlyer with comprehensive technical support for CFM56-5B and LEAP-1A powerplants into the next decade, thus further expanding its customer base for the modern LEAP engine in Asia.

StarFlyer recently received its first LEAP-equipped Airbus A320neo aircraft and says that it plans to begin operating it from July 4, and two more of this type will follow and join the fleet in 2024 and 2025.

The three A320neos join the current fleet of 10 active Airbus A320ceo, for whose CFM56 engines Lufthansa Technik will also provide a wide range of MRO services, ranging from basic inspections, boroscopy, AOG support, on-wing troubleshooting, engine condition monitoring and engine parts repair to complete overhauls that restore the engines to ‘as good as new’ condition.

Toshihiko Noguchi, senior vice president engineering and maintenance division at StarFlyer, said: “Lufthansa Technik has been an important partner for us to support our reliable operations of A320 fleet since March 2006 when we started our flight operations

“I am looking forward to establishing a stronger and longer relationship between Lufthansa Technik and StarFlyer by this renewal of the Engine Maintenance Service Agreement which will support LEAP-1A engines as well.”

Dennis Kohr, senior vice president corporate sales Asia Pacific at Lufthansa Technik, said: “StarFlyer is indeed one of our most loyal customers. Since March 2006, we have also been able to steadily expand our intensive cooperation, which already covers components, landing gears and engines.

“With the now agreed exclusive engine MRO services, we are privileged to further extend this great partnership, for which we are very grateful to StarFlyer.”