Air India commences construction of MRO facility in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Air India Group on Wednesday commenced the construction of a mega Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at a ceremony in Bengaluru.

The upcoming MRO facility, being built on a 35-acre land parcel at the Kempegowda International Airport, will become an important hub for Air India group airlines’ aircraft maintenance operations in the region as the airline modernises its fleet and expands its global operations.

The ceremony was attended by Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka, Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), Chin Yau Seng, CEO, SIA Engineering Company, along with a senior leadership of the India team.

Air India is proud to lay the groundwork for a mega Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at @BLRAirport . This advanced hub will boost our operational capabilities and contribute significantly to India’s growing aviation sector.

Here is a first look at the… pic.twitter.com/WWga1uK4Xq

— Air India (@airindia) September 4, 2024

Earlier this year, Air India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Karnataka to establish MRO facilities in Bengaluru. Air India has also signed an agreement with SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) to be its strategic partner for the development of this MRO facility.

Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka, said, “It is heartening to see the quick turnaround that Air India has made in starting work for the MRO. This is not only a milestone for Indian aviation, which is growing at a rapid pace, but also for the state of Karnataka, which is taking a lead in the aviation sector, with Bengaluru set to emerge as an important global aviation hub in the coming years”.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India, said, “India’s aviation sector is on a growth trajectory and Air India is playing a leading role in this. The Bengaluru MRO facility is coming up at an opportune time to help strengthen India’s aviation ecosystem while enhancing our in-house capabilities to maintain our fleet. This is a step ahead in our mission to make Air India a world-class airline.”

“Once completed, the MRO is expected to generate over 1,200 new job opportunities for skilled aviation engineers in India, and support over 200 SMEs in Karnataka through an enhanced supply chain”, as per a press release from Air India.

These new ventures are projected to create further employment opportunities, strengthening the MRO ecosystem in the state. The MRO will also support Air India’s plans to make Bengaluru one of its key hubs, boosting direct connectivity to global destinations. The upcoming MRO will feature a mega hangar to accommodate wide-body and narrow-body aircraft under a single roof for base maintenance. The facility’s capacity will be further expanded to include additional hangars for servicing more aircraft, including paint hangar.

“Equipped with the latest aircraft maintenance technology, including overhead teleplatforms, cranes, universal docking systems, and the largest vertical lift hangar doors in the country, this MRO facility will be setting a new standard in aviation maintenance at par with any MRO in the world”, as per the release.

The Bengaluru MRO facility, expansion of in-housed Line Maintenance (routine maintenance of aircraft in operation) facilities across the network, and the recently refurbished wide-body aircraft hangar in Mumbai will make Air India more self-reliant in the maintenance of its entire fleet from 2025.

Air India also plans to build a new wide-body hangar in Delhi to cater to line maintenance requirements. This will help develop a complete maintenance ecosystem at all major airports. Air India is also ensuring availability of trained, type-rated personnel for maintenance functions of different types of fleets by obtaining approval for CAR-147 for its training academy.

Besides, Air India plans to open a Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) in 2025 in Bengaluru to ensure continuous inflow of trained personnel for aircraft maintenance and engineering activities. This will create opportunities for engineering students to receive training to become type-rated engineers for certification. (ANI)