Aircalin picks Airbus support for A350s in Pacific first

Aircalin has selected Airbus Flight Hour Services to support its A350-900 fleet under a deal covering the carrier's two aircraft on order.

The agreement is the first Airbus A350 Flight Hour Services contract signed with an airline in the Pacific region.

Aircalin, New Caledonia's international airline, has ordered two A350-900 widebody aircraft from Airbus. The first is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2026 and will become the airline's new long-haul flagship.

The long-term power-by-the-hour support arrangement covers integrated component services, including on-site stock, access to pooled inventory and repair services aimed at securing component availability for the airline's long-haul operations.

Fleet support

Under the contract, Aircalin will use Airbus supply chain processes, component inventory, engineering support and the Skywise data analytics platform. The agreement extends an existing relationship between the two companies, which already work together on Flight Hour Services support for Aircalin's A320 and A330neo fleets.

The A350-900 is due to operate on Aircalin's long-haul routes to Paris, placing added emphasis on parts availability and repair support for a Pacific-based operator with a relatively small long-haul fleet.

Eric Boucher, Vice President Maintenance & Engineering at Aircalin, said the agreement is part of the carrier's fleet transition.

"Airbus has been a key partner as Aircalin enters a new era. The A350-900 will be our new flagship, flying on our long-haul routes to Paris. We are enthusiastic about extending our current FHS partnership with Airbus to the A350-900 programme," said Eric Boucher, Vice President Maintenance & Engineering at Aircalin.

Regional first

For Airbus, the contract adds a Pacific customer to its A350 Flight Hour Services roster. Its Flight Hour Services business is the largest in the market by number of aircraft supported under such arrangements, according to the manufacturer.

These contracts allow airlines to pay for support based on aircraft usage rather than hold extensive spare-component inventories themselves. For smaller carriers and operators with limited fleet numbers, that model can reduce the burden of managing stock and repairs across distant routes.

Anand Stanley, President and Head of Region at Airbus in Asia-Pacific, highlighted the existing relationship between the companies.

"This new agreement builds on our successful FHS collaboration with Aircalin across its A320 and A330neo fleets. We look forward to supporting them in maximising the full potential of their A350-900s and maintaining high operational and safety standards," said Stanley.

The agreement was signed by Eric Boucher and Maud Rotureau, Vice President Commercial Services at Airbus. Raymond Lim, APAC Head of Services at Airbus, was also present.

Aircalin's move comes as airlines continue to seek outsourced maintenance support tied to new aircraft deliveries, especially for widebody fleets operating long sectors. For carriers in remote geographies, access to pooled parts and repair networks can be an important part of bringing new aircraft types into service.

The two A350-900s will join Aircalin's existing Airbus fleet, deepening the airline's reliance on the European manufacturer for both aircraft and after-sales support.