Japan Airlines inks aircraft aftermarket MOU with Mitsubishi

JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda) will explore potential collaboration in the aircraft aftermarket business with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. The parties say the partnership will harness JAL's experience as a global aircraft operator and Mitsubishi's experience as an aircraft manufacturer and MRO service provider and is designed to tackle many of the issues impacting the aftermarket sector.

"With the global recovery in aircraft demand, the need for maintenance services has also increased. JAL and Mitsubishi have begun exploring collaboration in this area in order to respond to the various issues currently affecting the aircraft aftermarket," an August 27 JAL statement reads. "Within JAL Group, going forward, the joint exploration of collaboration will be performed by JAL Engineering Co., Ltd."

According to ch-aviation PRO airlines data, Japan Airlines flies to 92 airports in 22 countries with a fleet of 198 aircraft, including five A350-1000s, fifteen A350-900s, forty-five B737-800s, twenty-five B767-300ERs, two B767-300ER(BCF)s, one B777-200, thirteen B777-300ERs, twenty-three B787-8s, twenty-two B787-9s, eighteen E170s, fourteen E190s (the Embraer jets operated by subsidiary J-Air), and thirteen ATR42-600s and two ATR72-600s (operated by subsidiaries HAC - Hokkaido Air System and Japan Air Commuter). Other JAL Group subsidiary carriers in line to benefit from the collaboration include Jetstar Japan, JTA - Japan Transocean Air, Spring, and ZIPAIR.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries works across multiple industrial sectors, including aviation. The company manufactures components for various aircraft, including the B737, B767, B777, B787, and Bombardier 5000 and 6000 types. It is also involved in the manufacturing of engine components and various aviation-related equipment and has an extensive MRO business. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was also behind the ill-fated SpaceJet programme. After years of financial losses and development delays, the company terminated that civil aircraft manufacturing project in early 2023.