ASL Aviation Holdings has bought out Belgian aircraft maintenance business, X-air Services, the Irish airline group confirmed on Tuesday.

Dublin-based ASL jointly owned X-air with Sabena Techniks. The Irish carrier confirmed that it has bought out its partner’s 50 per cent share, giving it full control.

X-air’s biggest customer is ASL Airlines Belgium, while the group’s Irish, French and other European carriers also use the Liège and Brussels-based maintenance specialist.

Colin Grant, ASL’s chief operating office, said the deal would secure the expertise that the group’s carriers needed to maintain their B737-400 freighter aircraft.

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“It will also deliver in-house maintenance to our growing fleet of Boeing 737-500 converted freighters,” he added.

Sabena Technics chief operating officer Philippe Delisle said the French company was delighted that X-air would continue growing as part of ASL.

ASL Aviation Holdings owns six airlines in Europe, South Africa and Asia, along with joint ventures FlySafair in South Africa and K-Mile Asia in Thailand.

The company’s customers include leading logistics businesses and passenger carriers.