Airbus announced on 28 October the establishment of Alpha Component Solutions, a joint venture with Air France in which each partner holds a 50% stake. The new company will be jointly operated by Airbus and Air France-KLM, providing component support for Airbus A350 aircraft worldwide.

Alpha Component Solutions will manage a shared pool of components available to participating operators. In addition to ensuring component availability, the company will provide maintenance, repair and supply chain management services.

The partnership combines the capabilities of Airbus’ Flight Hour Services (FHS) and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M). It aims to meet the growing long-term component maintenance needs of the global A350 fleet. According to Airbus’ announcement, the new company already has contracts supporting more than 500 aircraft, with a global network serving both existing and new operators.

Anne Brachet, Executive Vice President Air France-KLM Engineering & Maintenance, highlighted that reliable access to components is essential to fleet availability and operational performance. She added that AFI KLM E&M brings maintenance expertise and firsthand airline operating experience to the partnership. Combining this knowledge with Airbus’ FHS capabilities is expected to give customers access to a broader support network and services tailored to their operational needs.

Cristina Aguilar Grieder, Senior Vice President Customer Services Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, described the joint venture as an important step in strengthening A350 component support by bringing together the expertise and resources of both partners.

The partners say that integrating component pooling, maintenance and supply chain capabilities is intended to improve component reliability and streamline maintenance throughout their lifecycle. The focus is on providing long-term support to operators and maintaining aircraft availability as the A350 fleet continues to grow.