Bombardier (Static A19) held a ground-breaking ceremony for a service center at Abu Dhabi International Airport, marking its expansion into the United Arab Emirates, the Canadian business jet manufacturer announced on the opening day of the MEBAA Show.

To open in 2025, the nearly 100,000-sq-ft facility will serve as a key hub for Bombardier service activities in the Middle East and add more than 100 jobs. With capabilities to service the breadth of Bombardier’s Learjet, Challenger, and Global families, its hangar will have the capacity to fit up to four Global 7500s simultaneously.

In addition to the large hangar, the facility will include a parts depot and provide scheduled and unscheduled heavy maintenance, aircraft modifications, paint modification, aircraft-on-ground capabilities, and aircraft parking services.

“The Middle East is an important market for Bombardier with more than 150 aircraft, and we are pleased to be establishing a highly efficient facility in the UAE for our customers in the market—and for those visiting from around the world,” said Bombardier president and CEO Éric Martel. “Abu Dhabi is a dynamic financial hub for business and commerce in the UAE, and this service facility will provide significant benefits, quick aircraft turnarounds, and OEM peace of mind to our growing customer base.”

Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, managing director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, added, “the presence of Bombardier underlines Abu Dhabi Airport's commitment to general aviation and is a major step forward to make Abu Dhabi the hub for general aviation in the region.”

While Bombardier’s first MRO in the UAE, the Abu Dhabi Service Centre is part of a multi-year global expansion of the company's service capabilities that is more than doubling its footprint by nearly one million sq ft.