Long-standing control shifts within aircraft maintenance

The long-standing dominance in aircraft maintenance and repair services in the Vietnamese market is expected to be broken as private businesses begin to join in.

- By Bich Thuy

Vietnam Airlines has led the MRO scene for years, but others are now elbowing their way in

Budget air carrier Vietjet is planning to put into operation an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) centre at the upcoming Long Thanh International Airport by the end of the second quarter, and will provide the services to airlines.

At Vietjet’s AGM in late April, Michael Hickey, deputy general operations director, said it will be a large-scale MRO complex which includes a hangar capable of accommodating 10 aircraft simultaneously, and administrative offices and accompanying amenities.

“One of the biggest benefits of the new MRO centre is the ability to significantly shorten aircraft maintenance time. Based on experience in implementing similar projects, maintenance time can be reduced by more than half compared to the current time,” Hickey said.

In the context of global airlines increasingly focusing on optimising operating costs and developing internal technical capabilities, investing in a large-scale MRO centre is seen as a step that helps Vietjet increase its proactive approach in operating its continuously expanding fleet.