Collapse of firm in Canada boosts Shannon business

The collapse of an aircraft maintenance firm in Canada has resulted in an unexpected but welcome boost in business for a company based at Shannon Airport.

Shannon Aerospace, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik, specialises in the provision of base maintenance services on a range of jets for airlines including Air Canada.

Canada’s largest airline has been forced to outsource much of its aircraft maintenance work to overseas facilities such as Ireland following the collapse of its former maintenance unit Aveos last month.

While work on some of the airline’s fleet will continue to be undertaken in Canada, about 60 larger aircraft will be sent to facilities outside the country, including to Shannon.

Some aircraft will be sent to Singapore and Hong Kong, while work on Air Canada’s Boeing 767 model aircraft will be carried out at Shannon Aerospace.

The facility specialises in providing base maintenance services for a range of Airbus, McDonnell Douglas, and Boeing aircraft including the 767.

Air Canada operates 30 767-300 jets. However, it is not yet known how many of these will be sent to Shannon for work, though some have been arriving in recent weeks.

The news is seen as a welcome boost for Shannon Aerospace which just two years ago was forced to lay off 107 workers.

A spokesman said that Air Canada and Shannon Aerospace had forged a good understanding, adding that “we secured all the required approvals to easily accept Air Canada work at short notice”.