Air France regional subsidiary HOP! is investing €4 million to expand its maintenance facility at Clermont-Ferrand airport and prepare it to service the airline’s Airbus A220 fleet. The work includes a third maintenance line, building adaptations and new tools and spare parts. The first Air France A220 is expected at the site in March 2027, extending its capability beyond the Embraer E170 aircraft it has primarily maintained there.
HOP! president Hervé Boury outlined the project during a visit to the facility on Wednesday. The investment includes €400,000 for training, while the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is contributing a further €200,000 towards training costs.
The plan calls for 60 hires by September 2027, taking the reported workforce to 360, a 20% increase. Recruitment will cover aircraft and cabin technicians, sheet-metal workers, storekeepers and logistics staff. Clermont-Ferrand is HOP!’s main maintenance site; the new A220 work will support maintenance of Air France’s medium-haul fleet.