Full Interior Detail at Marseille Provence (LFML)

What changes at Marseille Provence for a full interior detail?

Marseille Provence sits at 70 feet elevation with two runways—13L/31R at 3,500 metres and 13R/31L at 2,370 metres—and operates H24 with no slot requirement or closure curfew. Administration, customs, immigration, ATS, fuelling, handling and de-icing all run around the clock, which means you can position an aircraft for Full Interior Detail at any hour without coordinating a facilitation window. The airport is classified Level 1 by COHOR, so schedule flexibility is absolute.

Jetex Marseille staffs the Terminal Aviation Générale 24/7, and handling is mandatory under the AIP: your agent must be contacted before departure from the origin aerodrome. Airside access for our detailing crew therefore passes through the handler, who issues the escort and confirms stand availability. Customs and immigration clear at the FBO, so non-Schengen arrivals do not complicate the turnaround. The Mediterranean climate—hot, dry summers and mild, occasionally wet winters—means cabin interiors can accumulate salt haze if the aircraft has been parked near the coast, and leather dries faster in summer, shortening conditioning cure times but requiring careful product selection to avoid over-drying.

How does the handler coordinate third-party detailing at LFML?

Because handling is mandatory, Jetex controls apron access and expects advance notice of any third-party service crew. We submit our team roster, vehicle registration and insurance certificate to the FBO duty manager at least 24 hours before the detail, and the handler issues temporary airside passes or provides a permanent escort depending on the duration of the work. The aircraft remains under the handler's care throughout, so we coordinate GPU supply, potable water access if a galley deep clean requires a rinse cycle, and waste disposal for extraction run-off.

Stand allocation at the Terminal Aviation Générale is confirmed by Jetex once the tech log endorsement and slot-free arrival are logged. If the aircraft will occupy the stand for more than six hours, the handler may ask for an updated departure estimate to manage apron flow, particularly during summer when transient traffic peaks. Our crew leader maintains VHF contact on 131.460 and mobile contact with the FBO duty officer, so any change to pushback time or a request to reposition the aircraft for another arrival can be handled without delay. Documentation—photo report, materials log, and completion sign-off—is handed to the handler for the tech log before we leave the apron.

What does the full interior detail include in the cabin?

Leather cleaning and conditioning cover every seat, divan, bolster and headrest. We use pH-neutral cleaners that lift body oils and grime without stripping the factory finish, then apply a conditioner matched to the leather type—aniline, semi-aniline or pigmented—to restore suppleness and prevent cracking. Each piece is hand-worked; no spray-and-wipe shortcuts.

Carpets and fabric upholstery go through hot-water extraction with pre-treatment for galley spills, red wine, coffee and ground-in dirt along the aisle. We lift runners where possible to clean the subfloor and check for moisture or odour. Veneer, metal and plastic trim—sidewalls, credenzas, cabinet faces, window surrounds—are polished with microfibre and non-abrasive compounds. The galley receives a full strip-down clean: oven, microwave, coffee maker, sink, drains, seals and bin housings. The lavatory gets the same attention, including mirror, faucet, toilet bowl, flush mechanism and waste flap seals. Disinfection with an aviation-approved quaternary ammonium or hydrogen-peroxide vapour system is available on request, particularly useful after charter legs or during flu season.

How is the flight deck cleaned without risk to avionics?

Flight deck detailing follows strict no-touch protocols for avionics, breakers, overhead panels and pedestal-mounted controls. We mask or cover MFDs, PFDs, FMS keypads and any touchscreen before applying cleaner. Yokes, throttles, seat leather and side consoles are cleaned by hand with low-moisture products; we never spray directly onto a surface near electronics. Carpets and floor mats are extracted outside the cockpit or in situ with a tool small enough to avoid bumping the control column or rudder pedals.

Windscreen interiors are polished with aviation-specific glass cleaner—never household ammonia, which can damage anti-reflective coatings. We vacuum air vents, map pockets and seat tracks, and wipe down the glare shield without disturbing placards or the eyebrow-panel lighting. The entire process is photographed step-by-step, and the tech log entry notes 'flight deck detail completed, no systems disturbed, all covers and circuit-breaker guards confirmed in place.' If the aircraft has a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder maintenance panel, we do not touch it.

What is the turnaround time for a full interior detail at Marseille?

Duration runs from four hours for a super-midsize cabin with eight seats and a simple galley, up to ten hours for an ultra-long-range layout with multiple zones, a full galley, crew rest and two lavatories. ACJ and BBJ interiors with VIP staterooms, showers and complex veneer inlays can extend to twelve hours if every surface requires attention. We schedule the work to fit between legs: if the aircraft arrives early morning and departs the following afternoon, an overnight detail leaves the cabin curing and airing through the morning. If the turnaround is tighter, we can split the detail into priority zones—passenger cabin and galley first, flight deck and lavatory during refuelling—but extraction needs time to dry, so a same-day departure within four hours is only practical for light jets or if you accept damp carpet edges.

Marseille Provence's H24 operation and lack of curfew mean we can start a detail at any hour. A midnight arrival and 08:00 departure gives a full window; a lunchtime arrival and evening departure works equally well. The handler will confirm GPU availability for the entire duration, because cabin lighting and extraction equipment both draw significant power.

Why does Mediterranean climate matter for cabin detailing?

Marseille's coastal location and dry summer heat accelerate leather drying and can bake galley spills into veneer if the aircraft has been parked in the sun. Salt haze drifts inland from the Mediterranean and settles on exterior surfaces, then migrates into the cabin every time the door opens on the ramp, leaving a fine residue on sidewalls and window surrounds. Winter months bring occasional rain and higher humidity, which slows extraction drying but also means carpets and fabric hold moisture longer, increasing the risk of mildew if the aircraft departs before the cabin is fully aired.

We adjust conditioning products and drying time to match the season. In July and August, leather conditioner is applied sparingly and buffed quickly to avoid a tacky finish in the heat. Extraction run-off evaporates faster, so we can turn around a carpet clean in three to four hours if the cabin is ventilated and the GPU keeps air conditioning running. In December and January, we allow an extra hour for drying and may request the handler to tow the aircraft to a sunny stand if the apron layout permits. The photo report always notes ambient temperature and cabin humidity at the start and finish, so you have a record of the conditions under which the detail was completed.