THE aircraft maintenance division of the Monarch travel group has announced plans to build a new facility at Birmingham Airport, creating up to 300 jobs.
Monarch Aircraft Engineering Ltd said the new 110,000sq ft hangar would initially create 150 jobs, with the potential to create a further 150.
Scheduled to become operational by the end of next year, the maintenance centre will carry out work on Monarch Airlines' aircraft and those of other carriers.
MAEL, a division of Monarch Group, said the repair hub would complement its existing heavy maintenance facilities in the UK at London Luton and Manchester airports.
Commenting on the expansion plans, Birmingham Airport's chief executive Paul Kehoe said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as the airport for Monarch Group's UK engineering expansion, following the growth of its flight operation in Birmingham this year.
"The decision to create this state-ofthe-art facility in the West Midlands demonstrates Monarch's long-term commitment to the region, creating job opportunities for skilled engineers and young people looking to start a career in aircraft maintenance."
Caroline Spelman, MP for Meriden, which includes Birmingham Airport, said: "The creation of 300 jobs through this facility and the opportunities for apprentices is a vote of confidence in the airport and the great heritage in engineering our area has."
MAEL expects the hangar, which will have the capacity to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350, to boost its share of the global market for outsourced airframe maintenance and repair.
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