• 

  Airbus

  Stock Code:

  AIR

  Date Founded:

  1970-12-18

  CEO:

  Guillaume Faury

  Headquarters Location:

  Toulouse, France

  Key Product Lines:

  Airbus A220, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350, Airbus A380

  Business Type:

  Planemaker

Lufthansa Technik and the rebranded Mexican cargo carrier mas, previously known as MasAir, have signed a comprehensive Total Component Support (TCS) contract covering the repair and overhaul of components for mas' Airbus A330F fleet. The new agreement governs supply for up to eight aircraft over eight years.

It is the second contract agreement between the two parties, as Lufthansa Technik already supports mas' Boeing 767F fleet with its TCS product. Soeren Stark, Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Technik, said:

"We are very pleased to continue our service for mas Air Cargo's A330F fleet. We are proud to be part of mas' journey because the Mexican market remains highly competitive."

The mas Airbus A330F fleet

Before the Airbus A330F came into the picture, the Mexican cargo carrier operated an all-Boeing 767F fleet, using four of the aircraft type. It wasn't until February that mas took delivery of its first Airbus A330-200F converted freighter, provided through leasing with Altavair and converted by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), registered EI-MYY. Operating its first Airbus A330F made mas the first cargo carrier in the Americas to fly the type.

The second aircraft delivery quickly followed in April, and the third arrived in June. With the ability to carry up to 61 metric tons of cargo and a range of up to 4,200 nautical miles, mas decided to use the Airbus freighters as part of its strategic plan to strengthen its capacity. The plan includes increasing its fleet with an additional 18 aircraft by 2024, including the eight Airbus A330 conversions, which means another five are expected to be delivered soon.

Luis Sierra, Chief Executive Officer of mas said all eight will be taken care of by Lufthansa Technik,

"To support our new A330 logistic network, we need a global player in technical aircraft services whose experience and reliability we highly value. Lufthansa Technik already proves day by day to deliver first class services, which is required for our operation. This is especially important now that we are on an ambitious fleet expansion plan."

With the Airbus A330F TCS agreement, mas benefits from an individual supply concept that enables short and rapid transport paths. Component support of mas' fleet will be ensured through an on-site stock established in Mexico City. The fleet will be supported by Lufthansa Technik's component pools located in North America and Europe.

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Establishing a greater global presence

The rapid fleet expansions were just part of the cargo carrier's strategic plans, which primarily aim to see mas become a significant player in the international air cargo industry. Another aspect of the plan includes expanding its route network from eight to 18 regular routes on three continents: America, Europe, and Asia.

With the added capacities of its Airbus A330 converted freighters, mas has been able to triple its routes with flights to the US, Colombia, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany, and Peru. The latest route additions include the airline's first-ever flights to China a few months ago, operating thrice a week between Mexico City International Airport and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. mas also included a thrice-weekly air freight service to Chongqing-Jiangbei International Airport.

While China is a common aviation market for passengers and cargo, it's not well served by the Mexican market, making mas' route expansion all the more incredible. The flights to China allow mas to offer approximately 720 tons weekly, which averages about 36,000 tons annually. As the Mexican cargo carrier's strategic plan continues, it expects a fruitful year ahead with a forecasted network growth of up to 150% and for its aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) business to soar by 300%.