Manila: A sprawling hangar facility worth 8.4-billion pesos (about $150 million) is set to rise at Clark International Airport, 87 km north of Manila, in a huge boost to the Asian country’s aircraft repair and maintenance capacity.
The groundbreaking project was announced by Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP), which has set its sights on an aggressive post-pandemic expansion drive.
Its planned second hangar and repair facility at Clark was unveiled to Philippine officials who recently visited Berlin, Germany, led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual.
The team met Elmar Lutter, President and CEO of Lufthansa Technik Philippines, on March 12, 2024.
Joint venture
Lufthansa Technik Philippines Inc., a joint venture between Lufthansa Technik AG and Philippine-based MacroAsia Corp., was established on September 1, 2000. It provides maintenance repair and overhaul services for commercial aircraft, and keeps staff in Manila, Cebu, Davao and Clark, in the Philippines.
It is a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) FAR 145- and EASA JAR 145-certified repair station mainly focusing on providing Airbus A320/330/340 base and heavy maintenance services and line maintenance services for Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
It currently operates eight hangar bays and workshops designed to the latest industry standards.
These facilities support a range of services from light to heavy maintenance checks, major modifications, cabin reconfiguration/retrofit programs, and lease-return checks.
The proposed hangar at Clark, covering two hectares (20,000 sqm | 215,278 sq.ft. ), is expected to employ at least 400 workers during its construction.
During the meeting in Berlin, Secretary Pascual was quoted as saying: “We appreciate Lufthansa’s recent consideration of Manila as a destination for one of its direct flights from Europe to Southeast Asia. It does not only open opportunities for tourism but also for other business services of Lufthansa that the Philippines can support.”
The Philippine delegation also underscored that LTP’s expansion will also provide high-quality and better-paying jobs to Filipinos while strengthening the aerospace maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) capabilities of the country.
The new facility will complement LTP’s existing 23-hectare technical base and hangar at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), built in the 1980s.
Hangar for 2 Airbus A380s
The hangar can accommodate at least two Airbus A380s, with a construction timeline of two years. LTP is considering a partnership with state-owned sovereign wealth fund Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) for this project.
Initial discussions already underway with Maharlika Fund’s President and CEO, Rafael Consing Jr.
LTP also said that their customers will include British Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, and Qantas, among others. The company shared the possibility of a Phase 2 expansion, either in Clark or at new under-construction airport sites in Bulacan or Sangley Point (both by the Manila Bay).
Philippine officials assured the company of government’s commitment and strong support for its expansion plans.
