Aircalin has lined up operational partnerships with Corsair, Air Corsica and French Bee as it prepares to improve support for its Airbus fleet and introduce the A350-900. The arrangements focus on maintenance, pilot recruitment and instructor training, with Corsair set to back the A330neo programme on the Nouméa–Bangkok–Paris service and French Bee supporting preparation for the first A350-900, due at the end of 2026.
Corsair’s technical support agreement covers Aircalin’s A330neo fleet and includes maintenance assistance during Paris stopovers, alongside operational monitoring on the Paris–Bangkok sector. The collaboration draws on both carriers’ experience with Rolls-Royce Trent 7000-powered A330neos and sits alongside Aircalin’s existing engine support arrangement.
Aircalin is also examining an operational partnership with Air Corsica to support recruitment and training for A320neo pilots. For the A350-900 entry into service, future instructor pilots will first undergo type training at Airbus in Toulouse before completing a three-month operational certification programme with French Bee to build line experience. The aim is to lift fleet availability, reliability, crew readiness, safety and punctuality as the long-haul network expands, including the Nouméa–Bangkok–Paris route.