Airlines

Air India and Willis Lease Ink Historic agreement Constant Thrust® Engine Sale & Leaseback

which will provide Air India with significantly greater reliability and cost savings than a conventional MRO shop visit program.

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A firm sale and leaseback contract for 34 CFM56-5B engines installed on its Airbus A320 family aircraft has been signed by Air India with Willis Lease Finance Corporation.

The engines will be covered by the ConstantThrust® program from Willis Lease, which will provide significantly greater reliability and cost savings than a conventional MRO shop visit program. This is the first ConstantThrust® sale and leaseback deal by an Indian carrier for aircraft engines.

Willis Lease will buy 34 engines from Air India as part of the sale portion of the deal, and these engines will power 13 Airbus A321 and 4 Airbus A320 aircraft. Willis Lease will offer replacement and backup spare engines through ConstantThrust®, saving Air India from potentially expensive and unpredicted shop visits on the engines supplying a fleet of transitioning aircraft.

Willis Lease is a top global aviation finance firm with its headquarters in Florida, USA. It specializes in leasing, financing, and managing aircraft, spare commercial aircraft engines, and auxiliary power units. In order to provide programmatic assistance to airlines and lessors globally, ConstantThrust® makes use of these capabilities as well as Willis Lease’s spare parts, engine, and aircraft technical management services as well as its aviation engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.

Brian R. Hole, President of Willis Lease, stated that “Air India ran a rigorous process to evaluate all options for managing the significant maintenance, operational risk, and logistical burden these engines would have created. We are proud that all the benefits of ConstantThrust® rose to the top in the end.”

Airlines

German Carrier Lufthansa Plans for 20% Job Cuts in Administration

Lufthansa Airlines is reportedly planning significant job cuts in its administrative workforce. According to Manager Magazin, the German carrier intends to reduce administrative positions by 20% as part of its cost-cutting measures amidst an anticipated decline in earnings.

This reduction could impact approximately 400 jobs, the report revealed. While Lufthansa has not directly commented on the layoffs, the airline confirmed its goal of cutting administrative costs by 20% by 2028.

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The strategy involves leveraging digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and automation. “A hiring freeze is currently in place for administrative roles at Lufthansa Airlines,” said a company spokesperson.

The staff reduction is expected to occur through natural attrition and age-related turnover, rather than forced layoffs. The internal projection cited by the magazine warns that Lufthansa could face an operating loss of €800 million ($843.92 million) by 2026 if no corrective measures are taken.

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The report highlights the challenges companies face in aligning workforce requirements with current and future demands. Failure to adapt could necessitate drastic actions, such as restructuring and layoffs, which carry significant repercussions for both the organization and its employees.

As Lufthansa navigates these challenges, the airline appears committed to balancing cost efficiency with digital transformation to maintain its competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry.