A deal has been signed between Brazilian carrier Gol Linhas Aeras Inteligentes SA (Gol) and France’s Thales SA (Thales) for maintenance services for Gol to be carried out in Brazil.
Currently Thales has facilities in both the United States and France for repairs and maintenance of Gol’s fleet of approximately 120 all-Boeing jets. According to Reuters news agency, all such work will now be carried out at the Thales plant near Sao Paulo. While no financial details of the agreement have been disclosed, it is clear that local operators will be provided with an opportunity to cut costs.
Fernando Miwa, Gol’s director of maintenance, however, was relatively cautious, stating that: “The market for this type of service in Brazil is still very limited”. The offshoring of manufacturing work remains a sensitive political issue in France, where President Emmanuel Macron met business leaders last year to try to convince them to retain more work in Europe despite the problem of soaring energy costs.
Thales, which had grown its plant in Sao Bernardo do Campo in 2021 in order to provide such services, said the deal would allow Gol to reduce turnaround time, pay in local currency and receive support in its own time zone. It is anticipated that turnaround time should be cut to two days from 30 previously, the French company said, estimating Gol will be able to save around 60% in logistics and taxes. The plant could also serve other Latin American airlines in the future, it added.
The contract is initially set to last for three years but has the potential to be extended.
