WestJet has announced a multibillion-dollar, long-term commercial agreement with German aircraft services firm Lufthansa Technik to establish a new engine repair station in Calgary.
Lufthansa Technik will operate the facility at the Calgary airport to maintain WestJet’s fleet of approximately 50 Boeing 737 Max airplanes, which currently make up about a quarter of the airline’s fleet. WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech revealed plans to expand this fleet to over 130 aircraft by the end of the decade.
The facility, set to open in 2027, will “ensure greater capacity, efficiency, cost certainty and rapid turnaround times for aircraft by servicing engines right here at our global home and global hub of operations,” von Hoensbroech said during the announcement.
Terry Duguid, federal minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, praised the project as a “game changer,” emphasizing benefits like reduced downtime, lower operating costs, and fewer emissions by servicing engines locally rather than shipping them overseas.
The Calgary Airport Authority will oversee the $120 million construction, supported by funding from federal and provincial governments, Calgary Economic Development, Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund, Calgary International Airport, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
WestJet’s 15-year agreement with Lufthansa Technik is its largest in 30 years and is expected to create up to 160 new jobs in Calgary by 2030. The facility will focus on LEAP 1-B engine services, including on-wing repairs and full performance restorations, while major overhauls will remain at Lufthansa Technik’s Hamburg headquarters.
Source: Swifteradio.com
