Sepang Aircraft lands 12-year Cebu Pacific MRO contract

KUALA LUMPUR: Sepang Aircraft Engineering Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus, has secured a 12-year aircraft maintenance contract from Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific covering seven A320 aircraft.

The contract, announced at the MRO Asia-Pacific event in Singapore yesterday, involves heavy maintenance and end-of-lease (EOL) checks.

The work is scheduled to be carried out at Sepang Aircraft's facility at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) between 2027 and 2028.

The agreement expands an existing relationship between Sepang Aircraft and Cebu Pacific.

The former has previously carried out heavy maintenance and ad hoc EOL checks, engine changes and skin panel replacement work for the airline.

Sepang Aircraft has also occasionally deployed engineers to Manila to support Cebu Pacific's aircraft maintenance requirements.

Sepang Aircraft general manager and Airbus country representative for Malaysia Burhanudin Noordin Ali said the latest contract reflected the airline's confidence in its maintenance capabilities.

"This latest agreement is a clear sign of trust and confidence placed by the carrier in the work we do," he said.

Cebu Pacific vice-president for engineering and fleet management Shevantha Weerasekera said the partnership would support the carrier's A320 fleet maintenance and airworthiness requirements.

The EOL checks will be conducted as the aircraft are prepared for return to their lessors, ensuring they meet the required maintenance and airworthiness standards before redelivery.

Sepang Aircraft specialises in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for commercial aircraft, engines and components.

Its facilities at KLIA comprise two hangars with a combined area of about 50,000 square metres, with capacity to accommodate up to eight aircraft at a time for major maintenance checks.