Aer Lingus in final talks for maintenance contracts

Aer Lingus has announced that it is entering into final contract negotiations with a number of suppliers for maintance following a tender process for the provision of maintance services.

The tender process was separated into four distinct elements: line activities; base maintenance; components; and wheels and brakes. Each element was tendered separately to deliver the maximum benefit to Aer Lingus shareholders within specific compliance criteria and will run for a ten year period.

The companies with whom negotiations are taking place are, SR Technics for line activities, Sabena Technics / TAT Group for base maintance, Lufthansa Technik and Honeywell International for components maintance, and Goodrich Corporation for wheels and brakes maintance, and Honeywell International for certain associated materials.

The entering into exclusive negotiations follows an extensive review of Aer Lingus’ maintenance needs over a four-month period and was overseen by independent management consultants Oliver Wyman. Aer Lingus’ current ten-year maintenance contract with SR Technics is due to expire in October 2008

The airline’s decision was based on strict compliance criteria including approval by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency).