PARIS, AMSTELVEEN - Air France Industries and KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M), was awarded a contract to repaint five Boeing 777-200 aircraft, after tendering the project.

The Abu Dhabi based airline initially drafted the tender for the current Boeing 777-300 aircraft fleet, it was later amended after the airline decided to take delivery of five new 777-200 aircraft.

In addition to the painting process (stripping, sanding, painting and coating of the fuselage, vertical fin, stabilizer, engines and wings) the contract involves creating the technical drawings for 777-200 livery.

Under the agreement, the 777-200 aircraft will be liveried in the AFI KLM E&M paint shop at Schiphol airport between February and April 2014.

Fabrice Defrance, senior vice president commercial AFI KLM E&M, said: "We are very happy to be working with an airline as important as Etihad Airways. We will strive to provide the best and closest support possible for the airline as it grows and develops." 

Jeff Wilkinson, senior vice president, technical at Etihad Airways, said: "In addition to their proven technical expertise in this area, we appreciate the flexibility and responsiveness shown by AFI KLM E&M in meeting our requirements to deliver the aircraft on time."