IndiGo Airlines on Friday announced deal with aircraft engine maker CFM international for supply of 620 engines. These LEAP-1A engine will power 310 new planes comprising Airbus A320neo, A321neo, and A321XLR types of aircraft.

With this, total of 590 Indigo aircraft (present plus future delivery) will have engine of CFM. Earlier in 2019, the airline company selected LEAP-1A engines and signed a long-term service agreement for engines to power 280 A320neo family aircraft. The airline is currently operating seven A320neo and 15 A321neo with LEAP-1A engines. With this agreement, after some years, it seems there will be no Pratt & Whitney engines in the airline. It may be recalled that that the airline has to ground some of its aircraft because of trouble with P&W engines.

According to a statement issued by the airlines, the new agreement includes engines and associated spare engines, as well as a long-term, multi-year service agreement. This agreement will secure LEAP-1A engines and service agreements for its A320neo family aircraft to be delivered from 2023 onwards. CFM International is a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines.

Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo, termed the agreement as pivotal milestone that reflects airline’s long-standing commitment to rapidly strengthen network both domestically and internationally. “India’s aviation sector is poised to grow from strength to strength, and we will continue on our mission of building a world class transportation network. We are here to deliver on our promise of providing low fares and a courteous, hassle-free experience to all our customers,” he said.

“We are fully committed to helping IndiGo optimise its operations by providing them with the industry-leading asset utilisation, fuel efficiency, and overall cost of ownership,” Gaël Méheust, president and CEO of CFM International, said.

The LEAP engine

According to the statement, the LEAP engine, which has logged more than 10 million engine flight hours in less than five years of commercial service, continues to set new industry standards for asset utilisation, while reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 15 per cent while maintaining the highest reliability rates in this thrust class.

As on date, IndiGo is India’s largest airlines in terms of market share. It has more than 280 aircraft in the fleet through which it is operating around 1,200 daily flights and connecting 66 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations.

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