International Defence News Update | AirAsia and CFM International today finalized an agreement for the purchase of 200 LEAP-1A engines to power the airline’s 100 Airbus A321neo. The airplane order and intent to purchase the engines were announced in July 2016.
At the same time, AirAsia has expanded its 20-year Rate-Per-Flight-Hour (RPFH) agreement to encompass its entire fleet of 808 LEAP-1A engines for a combined total value of $23.1 billion U.S. at list price.
RPFH agreements are part of CFM’s portfolio of flexible aftermarket support offerings. Under the terms of the agreement, CFM Services guarantees maintenance costs for the AirAsia’s LEAP-1A engines on a dollar per engine flight hour basis.
We have centered our long-term growth and expansion strategy around the larger Airbus A321neo; choosing the right engine to power those airlines is critical to the success of that strategy. For us, the LEAP-1A continues to be the obvious choice. We have been operating it for nearly three years and are very happy. Our passengers like its quiet operation and we like the fuel efficiency and very high asset utilization it gives us.
AirAsia, a pioneer in low-cost travel, has been a CFM customer for nearly 20 years. The airline was an early LEAP customer and placed its initial order for 400 LEAP-1A engines — the largest in aviation history at the time — to power A320neo aircraft in June 2011. They took delivery of their first LEAP-powered A320neo in 2016 and currently operates 39 of the new fuel-efficient airplanes, in addition to 191 CFM56-5B-powered A320ceos. AirAsia is the single largest Airbus A320 operator in the world.
“We love working with AirAsia,” said Gaël Méheust, president and CEO of CFM International. “It’s an honor to be a part of this innovative, dynamic team and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”