In a significant move at the MRO Europe trade fair in London, low-cost carrier easyJet has reaffirmed its long-term maintenance strategy by extending its base maintenance agreement with Lufthansa Technik Sofia. The new seven-year contract ensures that the Bulgarian facility will remain a cornerstone for the heavy maintenance checks of easyJet’s extensive Airbus A320 family fleet.
Under this renewed agreement, Lufthansa Technik Sofia will continue to dedicate four full overhaul bays exclusively to easyJet during each winter season. This arrangement covers aircraft from the entire A320ceo and A320neo families operated by easyJet’s various European subsidiaries, including easyJet UK, easyJet Switzerland, and easyJet Europe. This deep maintenance work in Sofia complements the lighter base maintenance checks already performed for the airline by Lufthansa Technik Milan.
Brendan McConnellogue, easyJet’s Director of Engineering and Maintenance, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating, “Lufthansa Technik Sofia plays a major part in our outsourced base maintenance activity. The teams work brilliantly together each winter season to meet our ever-growing needs, and we are extremely pleased to extend this relationship as our fleet continues to grow.”
The collaboration, which began in 2015, has flourished over the past decade. What started with two initial layovers evolved into a five-year contract in 2016. The partnership expanded significantly, with dedicated maintenance bays growing from 1.5 to the current four, a setup solidified in a 2021 agreement and now extended through this latest long-term contract.
Daniel Hepworth, Senior Director Corporate Sales for Western Europe at Lufthansa Technik, expressed pride in the renewed trust. “We are thrilled that easyJet has once again renewed our long-term base maintenance agreement,” he said. Hepworth noted that the distinctive orange easyJet aircraft would be a fixture in Sofia for many winters to come, highlighting a partnership that has successfully delivered over 500 maintenance checks with a consistent focus on safety, punctuality, and budget.
This contract extension underscores a robust, trust-based relationship between the two companies. Lufthansa Technik Sofia, part of Lufthansa Technik’s global maintenance network, will continue to be a key provider ensuring the reliability and airworthiness of easyJet’s rapidly expanding fleet.
