Majority of Easyjet fleet to be serviced in Malta following agreement with Lufthansa Technik

UK low-cost airline Easyjet will be servicing most of its 233-aircraft fleet in Malta following an agreement signed with Lufthansa Technik Malta.

The budget airline had already signed a similar agreement with SR Technics a few weeks back.

The agreement with Lufthansa Technik was signed this morning at the Auberge de Castille, in the presence of PM Joseph Muscat, Easyjet Director Ian Davies and Lufthansa Technik Malta CEO Stefan Drewer.

It will see the airline service some 100 Airbus A320 aircraft at the Lufthansa facility.

Speaking before the signing, Malta Enterprise Chairman William Wait said the contract was another positive step for the 1,200-man sector, which is one of the main economic contributors. "We are honoured that Easyjet has continued to choose Malta for overhaul operations and we are sure that Lufthansa Technik will live up to its expectations."

Mr Davies said there will be four aircraft undergoing maintenance at any one time in Malta. He praised the Maltese aviation sector, insisting that it could not survive without investment. "We choose Malta because of the quality and flexibility of the workers here, the value added products and the safety record."

Mr Davies said Easyjet, which has had a presence in Malta for the past six years, plans on expanding to greater areas.

Lufthansa Technik Malta CEO Stefan Drewer said the company has been present in Malta for 14 years. The facility has expanded from a 1-plane configuration to one that can handle six aircraft, including wide-bodied planes. "This contract will also allow us to increase our workforce by at least 50," Mr Drewer said, promising that the company was "here to stay."

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the government was proud of this new agreement, signed only a few weeks after a similar agreement with SR Technics. He said Malta had now also become one of Easyjet's most important clients and that the agreement would further strengthen Lufthansa Technik, which already employs some 540 people. 'We are actively promoting competitiveness and growth in the industry. One of the biggest challenges remains the shortage of workers and we are totally committed to addressing this issue."

Dr Muscat also spoke about the country's economic growth and low unemployment, which was a result of "some very bold decisions." But he insisted that these results were no endgame. "We need to keep achieving more."

 

from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2bNNBxM
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