Nigeria`s Sosoliso Airlines, based in Lagos, is the latest airline to become a customer of Iberia`s maintenance division…
Nigeria`s Sosoliso Airlines, based in Lagos, is the latest airline to become a customer of Iberia`s maintenance division. Under the new contract, Iberia maintenance technicians will perform inspections, repairs, and modifications of components of the MD80s flown by Sosoliso Airlines. The Nigerian carrier joins Iberia`s list of aircraft maintenance customers, which includes Avianca, China Southern Airlines, Luxor Air, and Triton Aviation Services.
Since its founding in 1927, Iberia has maintained its own fleet, and today it also serves another 48 clients around the world. Its maintenance facilities cover an area of 2.5 million square meters with seven hangars including workshops and logistic support.
The division employs more than 4,000 people to maintains aircraft, engines, and components for Iberia and other airlines. It is certified by the civil aviation authorities of Spain (ACE), the European Union (JAA), and the United States (FAA), and the quality of its operations has been certified with ISO 9001-2000 by the Spanish standards bureau AENOR. In 2003, Iberia Maintenance inspected and repaired 110 aircraft, 123 engines, and 34,000 components.
Iberia today is Spain`s leading airline and also market leader on Europe-Latin America routes. With 2003 revenues of 4.62 billion euros, net earnings of 146 million euros and operating earnings of more than 160 million euros, Iberia is Europe`s most profitable scheduled airline. At the same time it is distinguished by its social, economic, and environmental policies, which were rewarded in 2004 by Iberia`s inclusion in the Dow Jones Stoxx sustainability index. Iberia`s commitment to the integration of disabled people in the workplace has made it one of the three companies best perceived for its social policies in 2003, and number one in employee cooperation programmes, according to the independent Enterprise and Society Foundation. Together with its franchise partner Iberia Regional, Iberia completes about 1,000 flights each day to about 100 destinations. In 2003 Iberia carried a total of 29.17 million passengers and 214,000 tonnes of cargo. It is a member of the oneworld airline alliance along with Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, LAN and Qantas.
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