Airbus, Thai Airways to build new MRO facility in Thailand

Airbus and Thai Airways plan to begin construction of a new, expanded MRO facility at Thailand’s U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport next year, as part of the airport’s development program. The two companies have agreed to build the replacement MRO center as a joint venture (JV). They intend to formally sign the JV agreement in Q1 2020, the carrier said. The construction phase is also scheduled to begin in the first quarter and is expected to take about two years. THAI plans to begin aircraft heavy maintenance and painting by July 2022 after gaining approval from Thai authorities. The first phase of the new MRO base will include one large hangar, a paint hangar, and other buildings to support line and base maintenance. An area has also been set aside so more hangars and workshops can be added in the future, the airline said. In the new hangar, Thai will be able to simultaneously handle three widebody aircraft for heavy maintenance, along with two widebodies for light maintenance or two narrowbodies for heavy maintenance, as well as two narrowbodies for light maintenance.<br/>