In Europe, the air transport market is gradually returning to normal operational levels, with the vast majority of the continent’s fleets having returned to service. From a mechanical point of view, this recovery has resulted in a significant jump in aviation maintenance activities, which are now approaching 2019 levels.
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Is the European market ready to soar again?
The MRO Europe Market
Is the European Market ready to soar again?
After a two-year period overshadowed by the health crisis and its impact on air traffic, recent months have seen Europe’s airways getting back to business. The need for aviation maintenance services is soaring as a result, and MROs such as AFI KLM E&M are redoubling their efforts and ingenuity in order to absorb this rising demand.
Adapting to meet evolving needs
Among other products, demand is particularly high in the Cargo segment.
“These past few months we’ve been observing significant numbers of Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversions. Mature aircraft such as the A330ceo are being given a second lease of life, which means their maintenance programs are being extended. This creates new opportunities for AFI KLM E&M, whose expertise is deployed for both components and engines on this product.”
Olaf Hoftijzer
VP Sales for Europe & Key Accounts at AFI KLM E&M
Having demonstrated crucial flexibility when its customers were struggling during the pandemic, AFI KLM E&M continues to mobilize its Adaptiveness® and capacity for innovation in order to support their return to operations, in spite of the difficulties having arisen as a result of the war in Ukraine.
“Many airlines are feeling financial strain as a result of the health crisis, and our response has been to employ service models that combine operational performance with economic competitiveness – such as predictive maintenance via our Prognos solutions suite, the development of new repair techniques, and the use of second-hand parts. We are also striving to mitigate the effects of the war in Ukraine, which has hampered the global supply chain and driven up the cost of parts and materials, by optimizing our logistical chains and calibrating our procurement to be more precise and geographically available. Despite all our efforts, this situation can still have an occasional and localized impact on our service levels, as is the case for other MROs facing the same challenges.”
Olaf Hoftijzer
VP Sales for Europe & Key Accounts at AFI KLM E&M
More economical; more sustainable
From an airline point of view, these economic and operational hurdles come in addition to the overarching environmental challenge. As they seek to transform their operations, airlines expect their maintenance service providers to offer eco-performance solutions – to the extent that sustainability criteria are now being included in calls for tender.
“The Air France-KLM Group is establishing a leading position in a more sustainable aviation industry (being notably active in the development of sustainable aviation fuels), and AFI KLM E&M is working toward this ambition via its services and operations. Our policy of developing new repairs, for example, contributes to extending the lifespan of components, reducing the proliferation of waste materials and avoiding the purchase and transport of new parts where possible. Our developments and partnerships for the maintenance of next-gen aircraft and engines platforms also contribute to this resolve by providing practical support for new, more eco-efficient products, and by developing more sustainable maintenance standards for these products.”
Olaf Hoftijzer
VP Sales for Europe & Key Accounts at AFI KLM E&M
Putting our multi-product expertise to work for operators
While maintaining customer confidence, AFI KLM E&M continues to fill up its order book and accumulate new contracts, both in mature products (e.g. A320 Airframe support with Volotea) and in new-generation aircraft such as the A330neo, the A220 and the 787, etc. These successes illustrate the depth of its MRO capability portfolio, which it continues to expand via the integration of dedicated services for LEAP engines, the A320neo and the 737MAX in order to meet the evolving requirements of its customers.
Get in touch
Olaf Hoftijzer
VP Sales Europe & Key Accounts at Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
