British low-cost airline easyJet will perform maintenance on its fleet of Airbus jets in Malta under a new 11-year maintenance deal with SR Technics announced at the Dubai Air Show.

The deal, which will help easyJet reduce its maintenance costs, has a revenue potential of USD$1.6 billion, the companies told a news conference.

EasyJet has a fleet of 157 Airbus aircraft, which it expects to increase to 207 by 2012.

SR Technics, owned by Abu Dhabi investment firm Mubadala, plans to build a new maintenance plant in Malta and will start handling easyJet A319 planes there from the third quarter of 2010.