São Paulo – Embraer announced on Tuesday (1) the signing of a five year agreement making EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering into an authorized centre for promotion of maintenance and repair services on Embraer 170 and 190 commercial aircraft.
EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering, based in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, was already authorised to purchase Embraer spare parts and, now, may promote routine maintenance and scheduled and non-scheduled inspection for EgyptAir Express and other operators of E-Jets, as Embraer calls its commercial jets.
The announcement of the agreement with the Egyptian company was made despite the climate of political instability in the North African country, where there is currently a popular movement against president Hosni Mubarak. Embraer has stated that the partnership is part of a long-term planning strategy aimed at expanding the service network for company clients.
"As we plan the expansion of our aircraft service centre network in the Middle East and Africa, we are pleased to reinforce our partnership with EgyptAir," said Leandro Laia, Embraer vice president for Customer Support and Services – Europe, Africa and the Middle East. "We look for expertise, reputation and competitive prices, in order to offer the best to our customers, and have chosen EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering, which is one of the most respected maintenance providers in the region," he added.
According to the Embraer press statement, EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering should have access to Embraer’s structure-specific repair solutions and extended database. The company will be entitled to handle airframe and warranty issues on behalf of its customers, including the EgyptAir regional subsidiary, EgyptAir Express, which operates a fleet of 12 Embraer 170s.
"We are very honoured by Embraer’s recognition and its trust in our maintenance capabilities," said Abdel Aziz Fadel, Chairman of EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering. "As the E-Jets family is enjoying tremendous success in the Middle East and Africa, we are confident in providing Embraer’s customers with services that will fully satisfy their expectations, especially with regard to the quality of workmanship, customer support, flexibility, availability and cost effectiveness," he added.
EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering is one of the biggest maintenance, repair and overhaul providers in the Middle East and Africa. After nearly 80 years in the business, it serves more than 100 airlines. It belongs to EgyptAir Holding Company, a state-owned company with seven subsidiaries. EgyptAir operates over 1,200 weekly flights from Cairo and many other Egyptian cities to 76 domestic and international destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.
*Translated by Mark Ament
