NEW DELHI: The ground-breaking ceremony of Air India’s new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar was held at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), on Thursday. The facility will strengthen Air India's maintenance capabilities at its largest hub while enhancing operational efficiency and self-reliance.
An official statement from the airline said the multi-facility MRO will spread across nine acres. The state-of-the-art facility is being designed to accommodate one wide body and one narrow body aircraft simultaneously, making it the only facility in Delhi to have the feature, it said.
The ceremony was attended by Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, along with senior executives from Air India and Delhi International Airport Limited.
The airline said, “The facility will enable Air India to centralise key engineering and maintenance activities, bringing critical functions under direct operational oversight. The new MRO facility will support Air India's efforts to build greater in-house maintenance capabilities, improve fleet reliability, and contribute to the development of a stronger aviation ecosystem in India,” it said. This would improve overall operational performance and offer a more reliable travel experience for passengers, it added.
Designed for long-term scalability, the hangar features a 25-metre clear height and large column-free spans to accommodate the next-generation aircraft. The project adheres to strict safety standards, including advanced fire protection., it said.
Key benefits operationally:
*By centralising inspections, cabin upkeep and defect rectification, the facility will significantly reduce aircraft ground time.
* Integrated engineering offices and on-site warehouse for spare parts will eliminate fragmented workflows and reduce logistics costs.
*A dedicated Cabin Shop will ensure faster repairs of interiors, reducing reliance on third-party vendors and minimising cabin-related defects.
*Direct access to technical teams and spares will enable faster resolution of aircraft grounded due to technical reasons, minimising disruptions.
