Air India Teams Up with BACL to Launch Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Facility.

Tata-owned Air India has signed an agreement with Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), a subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), to establish an 86,000-square-foot Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) facility. Located at Bengaluru Airport City, the facility is expected to become operational by mid-2026.

The facility, part of Air India’s Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO) initiative, will offer an integrated AME program certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It aims to create a pipeline of skilled engineers trained to Air India’s standards, meeting the airline’s growing fleet maintenance needs.

“The Basic Maintenance Training Organisation will establish a pipeline of skilled engineers trained to Air India standards from the outset,” said Sunil Bhaskaran, Director of Aviation Academy at Air India.

This initiative aligns with Air India’s broader transformation journey, under the Vihaan.AI programme, to build a self-reliant, future-ready aviation ecosystem. The airline is expanding its fleet with over 500 new aircraft on order, part of a record-breaking acquisition plan, and has already commenced deliveries.

In addition, Air India is undertaking a $400 million retrofit program for its older fleet and consolidating line maintenance operations across its group airlines to boost self-reliance. The airline also recently began constructing a mega Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Bengaluru.

Rao Munukutla, Executive Director & CEO of BACL, emphasized the collaboration’s strategic importance, stating, “The Air India BMTO reinforces our vision of developing a thriving ecosystem that drives innovation and collaboration.”

This partnership further solidifies Bengaluru’s status as a critical hub for India’s growing aviation industry, enhancing the supply of highly skilled professionals to support the sector’s rapid expansion.

HBL