Flair Airlines signs 15-year engine maintenance deal with Lufthansa Technik Calgary
Partnership allows Flair to service LEAP-1B engines locally instead of in Germany, Texas or China—cutting turnaround from 10–15 days to one day.
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Flair Airlines and Lufthansa Technik Canada signed a 15-year partnership on Thursday, September 10, at Hangar Flight Museum, bringing critical aircraft maintenance work to Calgary and marking Flair as the second major customer for Lufthansa's new local engine shop.
Under the agreement, Lufthansa Technik will provide engine maintenance and digital services for Flair's CFM LEAP-1B powered aircraft. Before the partnership, Flair's engines were serviced in Hamburg, Germany; San Antonio, Texas; and China — a process that took 10 to 15 days of downtime per engine.
"Our quality assurance people can follow the engine into the overhaul shop and watch it through the process, make sure that it's compliant with Transport Canada processes, and we're more in control of the situation," said Flair CEO Len Corrado. The new Calgary facility will cut engine servicing to a day.
Lufthansa Technik's Calgary operations currently employ 90 people and are expected to grow to 160 by 2030. Construction is underway for a dedicated engine site at Calgary Airport. WestJet became Lufthansa's first customer last year, signing a long-term commercial agreement valued at upwards of US$3 billion. Lufthansa's Calgary facility was announced in February 2025.
"When you talk to the big aviation companies, they always talk about Toronto and Montreal. And now when you hear them talking, it's Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. So for the first time, I am starting to hear that Calgary is an aviation hub and it is a fantastic feeling," said Chris Dinsdale, Calgary Airport Authority president and CEO.
Georg Fanta, Lufthansa Technik vice-president of commercial engine service, said Calgary's location and concentration of LEAP operators made it ideal for expansion. WestJet's presence as the first customer helped establish the strong aerospace cluster that attracted further investment.
An Alberta Training Centre of Excellence and Aviation groundbreaking was held Wednesday before the Flair announcement, signalling the sector's continued growth.
The facts
How long did engine servicing take before this deal?
Flair Airlines' engines previously required 10 to 15 days of downtime per engine when serviced in Hamburg, Germany; San Antonio, Texas; and China.
How long will servicing take at Lufthansa Technik Calgary?
Engine servicing at Lufthansa Technik Calgary will take one day.
When was the partnership signed?
Flair Airlines and Lufthansa Technik Canada signed the 15-year partnership on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
