Air India has placed an order with CFM International for over 800 LEAP engines to power its new fleet of 210 Airbus A320/A321neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX. This significant agreement also includes a multi-year service contract covering the entire fleet of Air India’s LEAP engines.
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Since the arrival of the first Airbus A320ceos in 2002, Air India has trusted CFM engines to power its operations. In 2017, the company introduced the new Airbus A320neos equipped with LEAP-1A engines, which has led to a current fleet of 27 aircraft of this model.
Campbell Wilson, CEO and General Manager of Air India, said: «The introduction on a greater scale of the LEAP engine as well as our services agreement will help us to optimise our operations in terms of environmental footprint and operational cost, while benefiting our customers.»
CFM International’s President and CEO, Gaël Méheust, expressed: «he 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.»
The LEAP engine family has accumulated over 33 million flight hours and 15 million flight cycles, demonstrating its robustness and exceptional performance. These achievements have been reached despite the difficulties and setbacks faced by its main competitor, Pratt & Whitney.
The firm purchase of the new A320neo and 737 MAX fleet is part of a five-year plan aimed at expanding the network and increasing the fleet following the acquisition of Air India by the Tata Group in early 2022.
The new investor seeks to position Air India as the leading airline in the region, in a domestic market dominated by low-cost airlines, while also competing with Gulf-based airlines such as Qatar Airways, Saudia, Etihad, and Emirates.
Air India’s current fleet from the European manufacturer consists of 18 Airbus A319ceos, 9 Airbus A320s, 27 A320neos, 14 Airbus A321ceos, and 4 Airbus A321neos, totaling 72 aircraft. Its subsidiary, AirAsia India (AIX Connect), operates 28 A320ceos.
On the other hand, the Boeing fleet in the Air India Group includes 29 Boeing 737-800s operated by Air India Express, 27 Boeing 787-8s, 13 Boeing 777-300ERs, and 3 Boeing 777-200LRs. In 2022, Air India signed an agreement with lessors to include 5 Boeing 777-200LRs and 6 Boeing 777-300ERs, which were gradually delivered between 2022 and this year.
