In a move that recognises the dependable on-going power-by-the-hour support provided by AJW Aviation for its fleet of A320, B767 and B757 aircraft over the past six years, Air Astana has extended its contract for a further five year term until April 2019.
The new agreement with AJW also covers an additional five A320 aircraft, bringing the total to fifteen, plus a further five B757s and three B767s. The Boeing 767s are new fleet additions from Boeing and will replace Air Astana"™s ageing aircraft. AJW will also locate main base kit inventory in Almaty.
"AJW has demonstrated that we can rely on their PBH support with total confidence" says Peter Foster, President of Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan. "With our significant growth ambitions, it is vital for us to have a partner that not only understands our business, but has the vision and flexibility to contribute effectively to our commercial success.
"The airline made several fleet and product upgrades last year, in addition to introducing new regional and long-haul routes. We are now planning more flights to Europe, with Paris and Prague both new destination priorities for launch in late 2014/early 2015. These new fleet investments give us the flexibility to shape our business for the long term, and enable us to continue to strengthen our position as the leader in this region"™s aviation markets. We were delighted to have been awarded "˜Best Airline, Central Asia and India"™ by Skytrax for the second year running."
"This new contract with Air Astana once again underlines the benefits of PBH and leasing options available from AJW" adds Christopher Whiteside, President of AJW Group. "We are extremely proud to be working with such a successful and respected airline as Air Astana. We have been supporting their Boeing and Airbus aircraft for a number of years and we are especially pleased to have now been chosen to support their brand new B767 aircraft. Our low cost base, world class logistics and a flexible commercial approach makes us the ideal partner to support their extensive and growing route network as they expand not only in Europe but also to Korea and Vietnam."
"Increasingly ambitious national carriers, like Air Astana, are looking to work with partners like ourselves because we work with them to create the innovative solutions they are seeking to align their cost base for maximum operational profitability."
AJW is highly regarded for its award-winning 24/7 AOG and critical component services, and these are fully supported by AJW Technique, the Montreal based component repair and overhaul facility. With a global customer base of more than 1,000 airlines of all sizes, and with almost 500 aircraft under contract AJW is fast becoming the partner of choice to offer fully integrated support solutions to airline and MRO organisations seeking competitive advantage.
