Air Europa has selected Shell Aviation to supply it with aviation lubricants for the long term. The agreement will provide AeroShell engine oils, greases, and fluids for the airline’s Boeing 737 and 787 fleet.
The Spanish airline operates a fleet of 28 737s and 27 787s, according to Aviation Week Network’s 2024 Commercial Aviation Fleet & MRO Forecast, and it will utilize AeroShell Turbine Oil 560 across that fleet. According to Shell, these oils will help the carrier reduce the chance of oil coke build-up while also decreasing the likelihood of degradation to the engine seals.
Pedro Macias Dominguez, chief technical officer at Air Europa, says the long-term agreement will support both the performance of the fleet and the airline’s current sustainability ambitions. He says the combination of a comprehensive portfolio of lubricant solutions backed by a life-cycle approach to sustainability will allow the airline to unlock operational efficiencies while decarbonizing its operations.
In 2023, Shell Aviation launched its new life-cycle sustainability approach to avoid, reduce and then compensate for life-cycle carbon emissions of AeroShell aviation lubricants. This agreement with Air Europa marks a major leap forward in tackling life-cycle carbon emissions across its product portfolio.
Last year, Shell Aviation announced that a new life-cycle sustainability approach will be included as standard across the full AeroShell product range, including turbine engine oils, piston engine oils, greases and fluids, for both the commercial airline and general aviation markets.
“The fundamentals of lubricants mean that they are challenging to decarbonize, so a lot of effort has gone into developing this new proposition, including working with OEMs, distributors and other key players across the lubricants industry,” says Vincent Begon, general manager for aviation lubricants at Shell.
This approach should go some way in supporting Air Europa’s Flight 2030 sustainability program launched last year, which includes a set of 45 initiatives laid out in its 2023-25 strategic plan.
Shell believes that by using more sustainable lubricant solutions, most of Air Europa’s fleet maintenance requirements will help support the airline with its efforts to streamline its operations and increase cost efficiencies. The airline will also benefit from Shell’s supply chain capabilities around its headquarters in Spain, supporting local access to new supplies.
The AeroShell supply agreement extends to the MRO facilities of Globalia, the parent company of Air Europa, and will apply to all other airlines and aircraft undergoing maintenance at Globalia’s hub at Adolfo Suarez Madrid–Barajas Airport. The facility has base and line maintenance capabilities for 737NGs, 787s, Airbus A320 family jets, A330s and Embraer 170s/190s.
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