MTU Maintenance has reached an important milestone with the signing of its first LEAP-1A maintenance contracts in North Africa. Within just a few weeks, the company secured agreements with key airlines in the region, including AIRCAIRO, further strengthening its position as a trusted maintenance partner for operators of next-generation aircraft engines. The contract with AIRCAIRO covers a total of 42 LEAP-1A engines currently powering 19 Airbus A320neo aircraft.

The contracts mark MTU’s successful entry into an important growth market. North Africa has been one of the company’s regions of focus for several years, combining a unique geographic position between Europe, the Middle East and the rest of Africa with growing tourism, increasing mobility and modernized aircraft fleets. Long-standing relationships in North Africa, helped lay the foundation for this business expansion and anchor MTU as a reliable maintenance partner throughout the region. Many carriers in the region now operate the Airbus A320neo family, powered by the LEAP-1A engine.

“Establishing an early presence in the market, building strong customer relationships and developing a deep understanding of operators’ requirements have been central to our strategy in North Africa,” says Martin Friis-Petersen, Senior VP of MRO Programs at MTU Aero Engines. “The agreements are the result of many customer visits and workshops. Trust is not only built when a contract is signed.”

The agreement is based on a joint support solution between MTU Maintenance Hannover in Germany and MTU Maintenance Zhuhai in China. The latter has extensive know-how and experience on LEAP engines as the network’s specialist for narrowbody aircraft engines.

Commenting on the agreement, Hussein Sherif, CEO and Chairman of AIRCAIRO, said: “Our partnership with MTU Maintenance is an important step in supporting the continued growth and modernization of AIRCAIRO’s fleet. The LEAP-1A engine is an integral part of our A320neo operation, and ensuring access to world-class maintenance capabilities is essential to maintaining the reliability and operational performance of our aircraft. We are pleased to work with MTU Maintenance and look forward to developing a strong and long-term relationship that supports AIRCAIRO’s expansion and our commitment to our passengers.”