Airbus has deepened its commitment to Africa’s aviation sector by launching a new Customer Support Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, aimed at enhancing technical services and training for airline operators across the continent.
Announced in an email statement on Thursday, the move represents a significant milestone in Airbus’ five-decade engagement with Africa’s aviation industry.
What the new customer support centre offers
The new facility will offer comprehensive technical assistance, fleet performance analysis, engineering support, and training services for all Airbus commercial aircraft types, including the A220, A320, A330, and A350 families, according to Mr. Gabriel Semelas, President of Airbus Middle East and Africa.
“The new centre underscores our confidence in the region’s aviation potential. We are investing in local capabilities and building a closer relationship with customers to drive progress and connectivity across the continent,” Mr. Semelas stated.
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In addition to supporting initiatives to increase aviation safety and dependability in Africa, the center is anticipated to increase customer response times and service efficiency.
According to Airbus, over the next 20 years, Africa’s growing demand for air travel will necessitate the hiring of 14,000 new pilots as well as 21,000 mechanics and engineers. The Johannesburg facility is a component of a larger initiative to train that workforce and encourage the expansion of aviation.
Airbus marks 30 years of operation
In addition to operating a maintenance and logistics facility in Midrand that houses Africa’s first H125 virtual reality pilot simulator, Airbus Helicopters is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its operations in Southern Africa with this launch.
Airbus Defence and Space continues to supply African governments with military aircraft, satellite services, and Earth observation solutions in addition to civil aviation.
Airbus stated that it is still dedicated to developing industrial capabilities, technology transfer, and job creation in Africa, where it has more than 180 African suppliers integrated into its global value chain.
Airbus’ plan to develop hydrogen-powered aircraft
As the aircraft manufacturer aims to launch a commercially viable hydrogen jet in the ensuing decades, Airbus has detailed plans to expedite the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft, improving its ZEROe project roadmap, the company said in an emailed statement on March 26.
With its next-generation aircraft, which will include a hydrogen-powered model, the aerospace behemoth reaffirmed its dedication to leading the way in commercial aviation.
As the most promising route to zero-emission flying, Airbus is now concentrating on significant technological developments that will facilitate the switch to fuel-cell propulsion.
At the 2025 Airbus Summit, Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programs at Airbus, stated, “Hydrogen is at the heart of our commitment to decarbonise aviation. While we’ve adjusted our roadmap, our dedication to hydrogen-powered flight is unwavering.”
He added, “Just as we saw in the automotive sector, fully electric aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells have the potential in the longer term to revolutionise air transport for the better, complementing the sustainable aviation fuel pathway.”
Notably, these technologies were demonstrated as part of a new, hypothetical hydrogen aircraft concept that was propelled by four 2-megawatt electric propulsion engines, each of which was powered by a fuel cell system that produces electricity from hydrogen and oxygen.