British Airways has announced the acquisition of Boeing’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hangar facility at London Gatwick Airport, a strategic move that will secure existing jobs and significantly expand the airline’s engineering capabilities at one of its key operational hubs.
The deal will see the creation of a new wholly-owned subsidiary called British Airways Engineering Gatwick (BAEG), joining the carrier’s existing engineering operations in South Wales and Glasgow. Current Boeing employees at the facility are expected to transfer to the new subsidiary in the second quarter of this year, following a consultation process.
“Today’s announcement will help us to be the very best in the business by bringing in the skills and expertise of former Boeing colleagues and adding a large, modern hangar to our portfolio of Engineering facilities,” said Andy Best, British Airways’ Chief Technical Officer. “It will support the reliability of our entire fleet, which is good news for our customers and colleagues.”
This acquisition represents a significant investment for British Airways and forms part of the airline’s broader strategy to expand its engineering operations. The company indicated it plans to recruit additional staff and grow the Gatwick facility in the longer term.
Industry analysts suggest the move could enhance British Airways’ operational resilience by reducing its dependence on third-party maintenance providers. The expanded capacity will allow the airline to conduct more in-house maintenance work, including minor maintenance on its Boeing 777 fleet and scheduled heavy maintenance on its Airbus A320/321 aircraft.
The facility will also provide additional capacity for unscheduled repair work, potentially reducing aircraft downtime and improving schedule reliability. British Airways noted that performing more maintenance work at Gatwick will decrease the need to ferry aircraft to other bases, supporting the airline’s sustainability commitments by reducing unnecessary flights.
“We’re proud of our Gatwick operation and this will give us a stronger presence which underlines our commitment to the airport,” Best added.
The transaction comes at a time when airlines are increasingly looking to control more aspects of their operations to improve efficiency and reduce costs in the wake of industry-wide challenges. The deal is subject to customary conditions but is expected to be completed in the coming months.
For the current Boeing employees at the facility, many of whom are highly-skilled Licensed Aircraft Engineers, the acquisition provides job security and potentially new opportunities within the larger British Airways organization.
