Lufthansa Technik is opening a customer service base for component services and a component pool at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow. The new operation will be implemented in two phases.

The customer service base and a stores facility for expendable materials should be in place by year-end. A comprehensive component pool for common Western aircraft types should then be available for Lufthansa Technik’s Russian customers by the end of next year. Initially a staff of four will provide customer service over a wide range of component maintenance and material sourcing issues. The company expects the number of employees to increase eventually to 50.

“This move is aimed at bringing Lufthansa Technik closer to its customers,” said Dr. Johannes Bussmann, senior v-p for component services. “In the future customers will have competent contact people who speak Russian and work in the same time zone.”

According to Bussmann, customers will be able to access the newly built warehouse for frequently needed expendables immediately. More than 1,500 part numbers for the Airbus A310/A320 series and the Boeing 737/757/767 will be held there, duty paid.

Phase two, the establishment of a complete component pool, should be completed by the end of next year. Customers will then have rotable parts–from flight computers to coffee machines–available to them.