MTU Maintenance secures LEAP-1A contracts in North Africa
| Agreements for MRO support from Germany and China
| North Africa has a growing tourism market with modernizing aircraft fleets
Langenhagen, September 09, 2026 | MTU Maintenance has reached an important milestone with the signing of its first LEAP-1A maintenance contracts in North Africa. Within just a few weeks, the company secured agreements with key airlines in the region, including AIRCAIRO, further strengthening its position as a trusted maintenance partner for operators of next-generation aircraft engines. The contract with AIRCAIRO covers a total of 42 LEAP-1A engines currently powering 19 Airbus A320neo aircraft.
The contracts mark MTU’s successful entry into an important growth market. North Africa has been one of the company’s regions of focus for several years, combining a unique geographic position between Europe, the Middle East and the rest of Africa with growing tourism, increasing mobility and modernized aircraft fleets. Long-standing relationships in North Africa, helped lay the foundation for this business expansion and anchor MTU as a reliable maintenance partner throughout the region. Many carriers in the region now operate the Airbus A320neo family, powered by the LEAP-1A engine.
“Establishing an early presence in the market, building strong customer relationships and developing a deep understanding of operators’ requirements have been central to our strategy in North Africa,” says Martin Friis-Petersen, Senior VP of MRO Programs at MTU Aero Engines. “The agreements are the result of many customer visits and workshops. Trust is not only built when a contract is signed.”
Tailored solutions for growing LEAP fleets
The agreement is based on a joint support solution between MTU Maintenance Hannover in Germany and MTU Maintenance Zhuhai in China. The latter has extensive know-how and experience on LEAP engines as the network’s specialist for narrowbody aircraft engines.
Commenting on the agreement, Hussein Sherif, CEO and Chairman of AIRCAIRO, said: “Our partnership with MTU Maintenance is an important step in supporting the continued growth and modernization of AIRCAIRO’s fleet. The LEAP-1A engine is an integral part of our A320neo operation, and ensuring access to world-class maintenance capabilities is essential to maintaining the reliability and operational performance of our aircraft. We are pleased to work with MTU Maintenance and look forward to developing a strong and long-term relationship that supports AIRCAIRO’s expansion and our commitment to our passengers.”
The new contracts underscore the growing demand for long-term LEAP maintenance solutions and reinforce MTU Maintenance’s position as a leading provider of custom engine MRO services in a region that is expected to play an increasingly important role in the future growth of the global aviation industry. MTU Maintenance conducts comprehensive MRO on over 30 engine models, and offers additional leasing and asset management services as well as digital solutions.
ABOUT MTU Aero ENGINES
MTU Aero Engines AG is a globally recognized expert in commercial and military aircraft engines. MTU‘s high-tech expertise ranges from the development and production of high-quality components to the final assembly of complete engines and the maintenance of aircraft engines and stationary gas turbines. In the financial year 2025, the DAX-listed company generated revenues of 8.7 billion euros. MTU technology can be found providing reliable thrust in one in three commercial aircraft worldwide. And every year, MTU maintains around 1,500 engines and industrial gas turbines. At 20 locations on five continents, more than 14,000 employees from over 80 nations contribute to safe global mobility. Together with other European engine manufacturers, MTU has also been ensuring and supporting the operational readiness of air forces for decades. To continue to benefit from the sustained growth of the aviation industry in the years to come, the company is investing in its expertise, industrial capacities and in future commercial and military engine concepts in Germany and worldwide. With the passion and innovative strength of its employees, MTU is shaping modern aviation – today, tomorrow and in the decades to come.