Air Canada updates Aveos contingency plans

Air Canada has provided the following update concerning its plans following the closure by Aveos Fleet Performance Inc. of its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Canada this week. According to officials, the closure of Aveos’s facilities will not have an impact on Air Canada’s day-to-day aircraft maintenance and repair activities or on its scheduled operation. This day-to-day maintenance work is performed directly by Air Canada at its own facilities across Canada — including Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto — by the airline’s 2,300 maintenance employees. On a transitional basis, the airline has identified qualified and government-approved maintenance facilities in Canada and the US to undertake work that was scheduled to be performed by Aveos consistent “with the high standards of Air Canada’s maintenance programs.”The transition to new service providers is already underway and will have no impact on customers. For example, three aircraft scheduled for maintenance this week will go to a Quebec-based maintenance provider currently used by other Canadian and international airlines. In addition, arrangements are being made to complete the maintenance of the three aircraft remaining at Aveos facilities. The airline will continue to source new transitional providers through industry-standard RFP processes. “Given the insolvency and unexpected closure of Aveos, we encourage MRO companies from across Canada and around the world to conduct due diligence and assess which of the former Aveos businesses may be viable in Canada under new ownership,”said Alan Butterfield, vice-president, maintenance and engineering. “Air Canada has a strong preference for working with a Global MRO which has an interest and ability to provide component, repair and overhaul services in Canada, with particular emphasis given to Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto. There exists a pool of well-trained, qualified and talented people available in these cities. Air Canada will favour MROs with globally competitive cost structures that have or will establish some portion of their operation in one or more of these cities employing the skills of Canadian aviation technicians. The company expects to work collaboratively with governments and other stakeholders towards viable long-term arrangements that are cost competitive.”