Sabena Boeing 747s with four-engined Airbus A340. After the liberalisation of the airline industry throughout Europe and the economic consequences of the Gulf War, the Belgian government, the main shareholder of the company, realized that Sabena had little chance of surviving on its own in this very competitive market, and began searching for a suitable partner. Sabena remained in a poor financial state, and year after year the Belgian government had to cover losses, however, it was however prevented from providing new funds due to EU State Aid rules. Around 1987, SAS tried to merge with the carrier, but the merger
Sabena technics Sabena technics Created in 1968, Sabena technics is an independent MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) provider offering services to civil and military aircraft operators. 1968: Founding of Touraine Air Transport by Michel Marchais The air transport company Touraine Air Transport (TAT) was born in 1968 thanks to Michel Marchais (father of Rodolphe Marchais), a pioneer in the developments which were to lead the way in the air transport sector. TAT was to become the first independent regional company in Europe. TAT let go of its airline company in 1996 to focus on industrial activities: aircraft maintenance (TAT Industries) and leasing