NEW DELHI: Air India and CFM International have finalised the order for over 800 LEAP engines to power its new fleet of 210 Airbus A320neo/A321neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX. The two companies have also signed a multi-year services agreement that will cover the airline’s entire fleet of LEAP engines. AI had this February decided on a record order for more than 800 LEAP engines.
AI MD & CEO Campbell Wilson said: “We are delighted to celebrate with CFM a major deal that will play a key role in our future development. The introduction on a greater scale of the LEAP engine as well as our services agreement will help us to optimize our operations in terms of environmental footprint and operational cost, while benefiting our customers.”
CFM International president and CEO Gaël Méheust said: “The renewed trust of Air India is a major milestone in CFM history. This order strengthens our presence in India and commits us to further support Air India’s development with the best CFM standards in terms of reliability, efficiency and customer support.”
CFM International is a 50/50 joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines.
Air India has been a CFM customer since 2002, when the airline began operating Airbus A320ceo aircraft powered by CFM56-5B engines. In 2017, Air India began operating A320neos, becoming the first LEAP-1A powered operator in India. The airline currently has 27 LEAP-1A-powered A320neo family aircraft in its fleet.