AIME 2010 - Fujairah stepping up MRO activities

With predictions that the MRO market will grow by 7.6 percent year on year in the region and that aircraft interiors purchases from the rapidly growing commercial and business aviation sectors in the MENA countries will continue to lead the world, means that many players are looking for bases throughout the Gulf. 

Fujeirah has already been prepared to invest. The new facility is being built in a partnership with airframe MRO company Europe Aviation. The latter aims to attract business not just from the Middle East but also from India.

The new hangar under construction will be capable of receiving one long-range and two single-aisle aircraft or four single-aisle aircraft at one time.

The airport has enjoyed robust growth, from its early days when it handled two flights per week to the current average of 60 flights per day, mainly cargo flights. Despite the recession-induced slump in airfreight in the last year, Fujairah’s traffic held up well.  The airport also has a strategy to attract up to ten percent of the UAE’s thriving business jet market.

Dr Khaled Al Mazroui, general manager of Fujairah International Airport said that the strategy was to “ establish Fujairah as a regional and international hub for aviation, cargo and MRO.”
He added: ''Fujairah International Airport will offer all forms of logistical support to Europe Aviation to carry out its future expansion projects in the region and the Indian sub-continent.”

In addition to creating a fixed base operation (FBO) to support the business aircraft segment, the airport aims to attract a company to be responsible for maintaining business aircraft.