(Photo British Airways)
BRITISH AIRWAYS is to acquire the Boeing hangar facility and MRO business at London/Gatwick. According to the carrier, the move will secure jobs at the site and expand the airline’s presence at the London hub. A new subsidiary called British Airways Engineering Gatwick (BAEG) will be created, which will join its existing engineering operations in South Wales (BAEW) and Glasgow (BAMG). Staff employed by Boeing who work at the facility will, subject to an employee consultation process, be transferred to the new subsidiary later this year. Described as a “significant investment”, the move forms part of the airline’s strategy to expand its engineering operation. Longer term, it’s expected the carrier will recruit additional staff and grow this new facility. British Airways’ existing engineering activities at Gatwick are a “vital part” of the airline’s operation, and its role and capability as a key engineering hub or ‘line station’ in the airline’s network will be enhanced with the hangar now under BA ownership, the airline said. Andy Best, BA’s chief technical officer, said: “This announcement will help us to be the very best in the business by bringing in the skills and expertise of former Boeing colleagues and adding a large, modern hangar to our portfolio of engineering facilities. It will support the reliability of our entire fleet”. Taking over the Boeing facility will enable BA to continue to carry out minor maintenance on 777 aircraft at the hub. This increased capacity will allow BA to in-source some scheduled heavy maintenance work on its A320/321 fleet. Additionally, it will enhance its capacity to carry out unscheduled repair work, as well as providing additional maintenance resilience, and relieving capacity challenges at other locations across the BA network. According to the airline, carrying out more 777 and A320/A321 maintenance at Gatwick will reduce the need to ferry these aircraft to other operational bases.