PT TransNusa Aviation Mandiri signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIROD Aerospace Technologies Sdn Bhd, establishing a strategic alliance with the Malaysian aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) service provider.
In addition, TransNusa also signed a Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) with AIROD for Technical Handling of its aircrafts at Subang Airport. TransNusa became the first foreign airline to receive approvals and start scheduled flights from Jakarta to Subang in August, this year. The airline currently operates has daily scheduled flights from Subang Airport
TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis said “Today’s MOU and SGHA will initially focus on the provision of MRO services by AIROD for our Airbus A320 aircraft family.
He added that as stated in the MOU, AIROD will plan, develop and conduct dedicated inspections and maintenance work for TransNusa’s A320 family of aircrafts in Malaysia, starting December, this year.
“This is not a small undertaking as it reflects TransNusa’s commitment to passengers in ensuring that our aircraft operate at peak performance, adhering to the highest standards of safety and efficiency,” said Datuk Bernard, emphasising the importance of an MRO provider for an airline.
The signing of the MOU and SGHA took place at H76, AIROD Complex, Subang, Selangor. Bernard represented TransNusa while Datuk Firhad Uzir Abdul Rahim, CEO of AIROD Aerospace Technology.
Established in 1976, AIROD is one of Asia Pacific’s oldest MRO service providers. Since its privatisation in 1995, the company has provided MRO-related services to 76 customers, with a combination of commercial and military aircrafts, from 33 countries.
“As such, we acknowledge and appreciate AIROD’S vast experience and strength in providing world class quality depot level maintenance, aircraft customization, and modifications, which also includes structural and avionics upgrades,” said Bernard
Datuk Bernard stressed, “This MOU is a crucial first step towards the development of a Maintenance Support Agreement, which will detail the binding commitments of both parties. Until then, this MOU represents our dedication to working collaboratively, exploring all viable options, and striving for operational excellence.”
On why TransNusa has partnered with AIROD, Bernard said, “AIROD has been a leading Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) service provider in Malaysia for more than a decade and is known for delivering high-quality services.
“AIROD specializes in a range of MRO-related services such as in base maintenance, inspections, modifications, refurbishments, corrosion control and repair, operational checks, and crash damage repair for aircrafts including the Boeing B737 series (Classic & NG), ATR 42/72 family, and A320 family,” Bernard said, adding that AIROD is also certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) for MRO services, with approvals from 8 other National Aviation Authorities (NAA) across the Asia-Pacific region.
“With such a strong foundation, we are happy to partner with AIROD to ensure that our aircraft are always at optimum level of performance,” Bernard stressed.
He added that AIROD also has a list of impressive local customer base including AirAsia Group, Batik Air, Kargo Xpress, Firefly, Berjaya Air, Raya Airways, and MyJets.
“Our passengers trust us to get them safely from one destination to another, and this trust must be earned and maintained. By partnering with AIROD, we are reaffirming our commitment to safety and ensuring that our aircraft maintenance is in the hands of one of the most reputable MRO providers in the industry. This will empower us to focus more on our core mission of delivering seamless and exceptional travel experiences to our customers.” Bernard said.
TransNusa, which had to close its business operation in September 2020 due to impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation industry, started operations again after injection of new shareholders and management team led by Malaysian-born aviation industry veteran, Bernard Francis, in October 2022.
Within 6 months, under the leadership of Francis, the airline introduced its first international route between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and celebrated its first-year anniversary for this route on April 14, 2024. In August, this year, TransNusa became the first international airline to operate daily scheduled flights from Subang airport to Jakarta.
Since the change in management team, TransNusa has been contributing and changing the aviation landscape in Indonesia. It has been making headlines in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China and around the world with news of being the first airline in Indonesia and the world to develop and introduce a new domestic route connecting Bali and Manado.
TransNusa also became the second Indonesian airline to receive approval to fly to China and provided its passengers with more pricing and route options to China.
In October, the airline yet again experienced another milestone by becoming the first Indonesian airline and second airline in the world to launch scheduled flights from Manado to Guangzhou, China.
Source – PT TransNusa