Etihad signs deal to give Kenya Airways a lift

Etihad Airways Engineering will begin performing maintenance work on Kenya Airways fleet of 787-8 this month and assist in several reliability and product improvements, Air Transport News reported recently.

Etihad, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services provider in the Middle East, will carry out six mandatory checks on the aircraft through October.

"We are pleased to support Kenya Airways in optimizing its fleet performance and building its technical know-how through our expanding Boeing 787 heavy maintenance capabilities," Jeff Wilkinson, CEO of Etihad Airways Engineering, said.

Kenya Airways will also work to modernize the fleet's systems and components.

"We will use this opportunity to upscale and retool some of our technical department, who will be onsite to provide oversight of all work being done," Martyn Haines, technical director of Kenya Airways, said. "The agreement also opens up other collaborative opportunities including training programs. We have an ongoing maintenance program of small and large checks across our other fleets, with all of these scheduled for completion within our maintenance facility."