Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL), a subsidiary of Air India, signed a strategic agreement with SpiceJet for the repair and maintenance of the latter’s aircraft.

Air India’s ₹600 crore MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility at MIHAN (Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport) in Nagpur will provide support for the maintenance of SpiceJet’s Boeing 737s.

MIHAN is a part of the 68 aircraft deal signed between Air India and Boeing in 2005. Spread across 50 acres, it was built by Boeing and handed it over to Air India in 2015. Two bays would be provided to SpiceJet for maintenance.

“SpiceJet was keen to have a strategic partnership with us for maintenance/repair of over 100 Boeing 737 aircraft in our MRO facility in Nagpur and other places,” says H R Jagannath, CEO of AIESL.

“SpiceJet currently operates a fleet of 42 aircraft, but will cross 100 aircraft in the coming years. AI’s MRO will reduce our dependence on foreign ones. We’ll save 20-25 per cent in MRO checks,” says Arun Kashyap, head of engineering and maintenance, SpiceJet.

airindia.in; spicejet.com