Air India plans to build a hangar for widebody planes in Delhi and set up a basic maintenance training organisation to develop its engineering capabilities.
Until now, Air India relied on its former subsidiary, AI Engineering Services Limited, for aircraft maintenance. However, the airline is gradually developing its in-house facilities.
The airline announced these additional steps as it began construction of its maintenance repair overhaul facility at Bengaluru airport on Wednesday.
The airline stated that the new hangar in Delhi will support routine maintenance activities, while the training organisation will ensure continuous inflow of personnel for aircraft engineering works. Delhi, being the airline’s biggest hub, offers daily connections to Australia, Europe and the US.
“India’s aviation sector is on a growth trajectory and Air India is playing a leading role in this,” Air India’s managing director and CEO Campbell Wilson said.
The Bengaluru MRO facility, spanning 35 acres, will be developed in partnership with SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC).
It will feature a mega hangar for routine and heavy maintenance of both narrowbody and widebody planes.
Additionally, the facility will expand to include aircraft painting jobs.
Air India stated that the MRO will be equipped with the latest aircraft maintenance technologies, aligning it with global best practices.
Last year, Air India placed an order for 470 Airbus and Boeing aircraft and is establishing agreements with global companies such as SIAEC, Lufthansa Technik and Honeywell for inventory management and component support.
The airline stated that these agreements will ensure operational efficiency and reliability.