Aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider Lufthansa Technik Philippines unveiled its P2.24 billion hangar in Pasay City on the back of the steady rebound in the air travel sector and its long-term plan to transform the Philippines into a global aviation hub.
“With the opening of Hangar 1A, LTP is responding to a renewed demand for aircraft maintenance as travel picks up and planes around the world are no longer grounded,” Rainer Janke, LTP vice president for marketing and sales, said during the opening ceremony on Friday.
“We are excited to provide our premium service to our clients and help ensure flight safety in the new normal,” he added.
The 9,000-square meter facility adds three lines to LTP’s existing seven-base maintenance lines in its Metro Manila hub, which means the facility can now accommodate ten aircraft for repair and maintenance at once.
The new Hangar 1A will provide base maintenance for short- to long-range commercial aircraft, including Airbus jets A320, A330, A380 and Boeing 777.
Apart from adding 20 percent to LTP’s capacity, the new hangar will create at least 275 jobs for Filipino workers experts in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhauling.
The augmented capacity, according to LTP, is expected to serve the rising demand for its expert aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services.
“This milestone for LTP marks our transition from some of the most difficult times we’ve faced as a company due to the pandemic to this phase of gradual recovery. This is concrete, tangible proof that we are seeing clearer skies ahead,” LTP president and CEO Elmar Lutter said.
The LTP broke ground for the project in November 2019, and it was initially targeted for completion in October 2020.
LTP is a joint venture between Germany’s Lufthansa Technik AG and Lucio Tan-led MacroAsia Corp.
LTP currently employs more than 2,600 Filipinos across its facilities in Manila, Clark in Pampanga, Cebu, Davao, Kalibo in Aklan, and Puerto Princesa in Palawan. M. Romero