Rakesh Jhunjhunwala backed-Akasa Air on Wednesday announced the purchase of CFM LEAP-1B engines to power its recently purchased Boeing 737 MAX airplanes. The agreement, that also includes spare engines and long-term services agreement, is valued at nearly $4.5 billion at list price.

On Tuesday, Akasa had ordered 72 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes valued at nearly $9 billion at list price.

Vinay Dube, CEO, Akasa Air, said, “We are extremely pleased to partner with CFM International as we embark on an exciting journey to launch the greenest, most affordable, and most dependable airline in India. Our partnership with CFM will ensure that we adhere to the world’s highest standards of maintenance and deliver the industry’s best technical dispatch reliability.”

Dube further added, “The high-performance LEAP-1B engine will support our tech-driven culture by enabling real-time engine monitoring and predictive maintenance planning. With this agreement, we now have the foundation to ensure the most competitive and reliable operations in our fast-growing market.”

“We are proud to develop a strong relationship with Akasa and play a key role in the launch of their operations, by providing them with the industry-leading asset utilization, fuel efficiency, and overall cost of ownership,” said Philippe Couteaux, Executive Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for CFM International.

CFM’s advanced LEAP engine continues to set new industry standards for fuel efficiency and asset utilisation, logging more than 12 million engine flight hours in commercial operation.

The LEAP-1B engine entered into service on the Boeing 737 MAX in 2017. More than 600 aircraft have been delivered to some 66 operators worldwide and the fleet has logged more than 2.5 million engine flight hours

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