Airbus Eyes Major Role In A350 Aftermarket Support; First Customer Imminent

TOULOUSE, France—Airbus, aiming to become a “major” player in A350 aftermarket support, is poised to announce its first long-term agreement with an A350 customer and is in talks with several more, a company executive reports.

The 12-year deal with a European operator is at the airline’s board-approval stage, according to Airbus Vice President-Services Solutions Pierre Yves Reville, and should be finalized soon. An announcement is expected in a few weeks.

“This is the first step into a very promising market,” Reville says. “We do intend to be one of the major players on A350” aftermarket support, he adds.

The deal is expected to be an Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS) agreement, in which operators pay per flight hour for access to spares pools. Customized services are added based upon customer needs.

Airbus is talking with several other A350 customers, including Latam Airlines Group and Thai Airways, Reville confirms. The manufacturer also is in discussions with at least one other major European operator, and two Chinese operators.

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