The agreement came as part of a long-term contract inked between the two firms on August 16, which is expected to back Vietnam Airlines’ effort to improve technical efficiency and ensure safety for its flights.

Per the deal, Lufthansa Technik AG will provide maintenance services for ten APUs of the carrier’s fleet of A350-900 wide-body aircraft from 2018 to 2020.

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Germany-based Lufthansa Technik AG will provide maintenance services for the auxiliary power units (APUs) of Vietnam Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 fleet according to a contract signed on August 16. Photo: Vietnam Airlines

Lufthansa Technik is the official warranty station and partner of manufacturer Honeywell for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of the Honeywell APUs. Vietnam Airlines has put into use 12 A350-900 aircraft and is scheduled to operate two more in 2019.

Vietnam Airlines Director General Duong Tri Thanh said he believed Lufthansa Technik AG would ensure the smooth operation of Vietnam Airlines’ Airbus A350 fleet. The contract would contribute to the expansion of long-term cooperation in more areas between the two companies, he added.

Vietnam Airlines, a member of Skyteam Alliance, operates 90 routes to 20 domestic and 29 international destinations with an average of 400 flights per day. It owns a fleet of modern airplane models, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350-900 XWB, Airbus A330 and Airbus A321.

The carrier was certified as a 4-star airline by international air transport rating organization Skytrax and listed as a top Asian airline in 2018 by tourism website Trip Advisor.

The firm saw an 87-percent surge in pre-tax profit in the first half of 2018, approximating VND 1.92 trillion (USD 82.8 million), double its target. Last year, it posted impressive sales of VND 88.4 trillion and carried 26.5 million passengers while its on-time performance index exceeded 90 percent.

With 35 subsidiaries and affiliates, the Lufthansa Technik AG is one of the leading providers of technical aircraft services in the world. Certified internationally as a maintenance, production and design organization, the company has a workforce of more than 25,000 employees.

The firm’s portfolio covers the entire range of services for commercial and VIP/special mission aircraft, engines, components and landing gear in digital fleet support, maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification, completion and conversion as well as the manufacture of cabin products.

Source: VNA