Qantas Airways Reiterates Plan to Introduce Jumbo Airbus A380 to Los Angeles

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, along with Board of Airport Commissioners and executives for Qantas Airways, announced the opening of the new Qantas Airways Maintenance facility at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This Qantas Airways Maintenance and Engineering facility will be the first overseas maintenance base at LAX, and the first of many business ventures Qantas will make as they push to further expand their operations in Los Angeles.

"Qantas -- LAX's largest international airline -- has taken over this hangar as a tangible sign of its commitment to the City of Los Angeles and LAX," said Mayor Villaraigosa.

"The establishment of our first overseas maintenance base here at LAX is an important strategic decision for Qantas that will have operational benefits for us and provide economic contributions to the city," said Wally R. Mariani, senior executive vice president for Qantas Airways, The Americas and Pacific.

"Additionally, our decision to bring this new maintenance base to Los Angeles is another demonstration of our continued commitment to LAX and the economy of the City of Los Angeles," Mariani added.

Noting that Qantas will be the first airline to fly the Airbus A380 to the United States in 2007, Mayor Villaraigosa said LAX will be ready to accommodate the new aircraft.

"Los Angeles recognizes the importance of this new service to our international carriers, and we are committed to making sure that LAX is ready when Qantas brings the first A380 here to Los Angeles," said Mayor Villaraigosa.

The new facility will function as a full-service maintenance and engineering base for Qantas in the United States. With more than 80 service technician positions, it more than doubles the engineering and maintenance workforce. The Qantas hangar is capable of performing regularly scheduled maintenance inspections, known as A-checks, on Qantas' extensive fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft.

FMI: www.qantas.com