China Aircraft Services Limited
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation maintenance and services |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Air China Group, British Airways, Hutchison Whampoa (China), United Airlines |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , China |
Area served | Hong Kong International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (via SEAM) |
| Products | Aircraft line and base maintenance, ground support equipment, cabin cleaning, training services |
| Owner | China National Aviation Corporation (Group) Limited (40%), United Airlines, Inc. (20%), China Airlines Limited (20%), Gama Group (Asia) Limited (20%) |
Number of employees | 1000+ |
China Aircraft Services Limited (), abbreviated as CASL (), stands as a prominent provider of aircraft line and base maintenance, ground support equipment, and cabin cleaning solutions at Hong Kong International Airport.
History
Established in 1995 through a joint venture involving Air China Group (via CNAC(G)), British Airways, Hutchison Whampoa (China), and United Airlines, CASL's ownership structure had shifted by 2005 to include China National Aviation Corporation (Group) Limited holding 40%, Hutchison Whampoa China with 20%, United Airlines at 20%, and China Airlines also at 20%. Between 2003 and 2005, China Airlines acquired shares previously held by CNAC(G) and Hutchison Whampoa China. Since 2015, Hutchison Whampoa China has been fully integrated under CK Hutchison Holdings. Presently, CASL’s ownership is divided among China National Aviation Corporation (Group) Limited (40%), United Airlines, Inc. (20%), China Airlines Limited (20%), and Gama Group (Asia) Limited (20%).
In October 2014, CASL broadened its line maintenance offerings to support Dragonair. The company now caters to over 80 airlines, counting significant clients such as Cathay Dragon, Hong Kong Airlines, HK Express, and Air Macau.
Extending beyond Hong Kong, CASL collaborated with China Eastern Airlines to establish Shanghai Eastern Aircraft Maintenance Limited (SEAM), with ownership split at 40% and 60% respectively. Since 2002, SEAM has been delivering line maintenance and ground support equipment services at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
Business overview
With a workforce exceeding 1,000 employees, CASL delivers a wide array of aviation-related services:
- Line maintenance: comprehensive line maintenance and outstation assistance for diverse aircraft models, covering both scheduled and unscheduled activities such as engine replacements, fuel tank leak repairs, upkeep of cabin and IFE systems, along with A-check inspections.
- Base maintenance: hangar facilities capable of simultaneously accommodating wide-body and narrow-body aircraft, offering airframe maintenance expertise for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737NG C series.
- Cabin services: including transit, turnaround, and overnight cabin cleaning; provisioning alongside inventory control; exterior washing and waxing; deep cleaning operations; management of passenger left-behind items; aircraft detailing; and metal polishing.
- Ground support equipment services: supplying potable water trucks, lavatory service vehicles, tow tractors, ground power units, air conditioning units, air start units, plus maintenance tools such as high-lift platforms and cherry pickers.
- Training services: covering human factors education, aircraft type familiarization programs, safety management systems training, as well as technical instruction for B737-600/700/800/900 Mechanical (B1) and Avionics (B2), A320 series Mechanical (B1) and Avionics (B2), along with A330 Mechanical (B1) and Avionics (B2).