The latest hangar at Birmingham Airport has been opened by Monarch Aircraft Engineering Limited (MAEL.

This building is one of the first to be able to accommodate larger planes such as Boeing's 797 Dreamliner for maintenance. It can also cater to other wide aircraft like the Airbus A350. In total it can comfortably fit two Boeing 777-300ERs or ten narrow-bodied alternatives within its 110,000 sq ft site.

Such a large development is arguably important as larger carriers are becoming more popular, seen most recently in the buying frenzy at Dubai International Airport - Boeing sold 259 units of its latest 777x aerocraft in the first day alone, as well as reaching 1,000 Dreamliner orders. MAEL's latest facility supports these larger planes, while also brings local benefits to the city.

Birmingham Airport's chief executive officer Paul Kehoe said: "Opening this state-of-the-art facility in Birmingham underpins Monarch's long-term commitment to the region, creating job opportunities for skilled engineers and young people looking to start a career in aircraft maintenance."

The hub, citing figures from Aerostrategy states around 60 per cent of airline carriers outsource their heavy maintenance work, creating a maintenance repair and overhaul market of $49 billion (£30 billion).