Korean Air has received their first of up to 50 A321neos on order powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. The new aircraft will enter passenger revenue service in December 2022. The carrier has also joined the Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO network.
On Tuesday (November 29, 2022), Pratt & Whitney announced that Korean Air has received their first of up to 50 Airbus A321neos on order. In 2020, the carrier selected Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power the new aircraft. As previously announced, Korean Air has also joined the Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO network, providing disassembly, assembly and test capabilities for GTF engines for the A320neo Family. Korean Air and Pratt & Whitney’s relationship spans over 60 years, with the carrier’s Boeing 707s powered by JT3D engines. Currently, Korean Air operates over 70 Pratt & Whitney powered aircraft including FTF-powered Airbus A220s and A330s, as well as Boeing 747 and 777s. Korean Air’s fleet of 10 Airbus A380s are also powered by Engine Alliance GP7200 engines, a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and General Electric.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Korean Air’s EVP and Chief Safety and Operation Officer, Soo Keun Lee, said,
“We are delighted to receive our first A321neo, which will be a great asset to our fleet, network and passengers. This fuel-efficient, next-generation A321neo will bring our customers’ experience to a new level.”
Also commenting on the aircraft delivery, Pratt & Whitney’s President of Commercial Engines, Rick Deurloo, said,
“Korean Air becomes the fifth airline to operate two different fleets of GTF-powered aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is uniquely positioned to power airlines’ needs across the latest single-aisle fleets, with GTF engines powering aircraft that carry 96 to 244 passengers and fly up to 4,700 nautical miles.”
Korean Air Airbus A321neo in Flight - Courtesy Korean Air
Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engines deliver industry-leading sustainability benefits, mature dispatch reliability and world-class operating costs. The engines for the A320neo Family deliver a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of 16 to 20 percent, as well a 75% reduction in noise footprint and a 50% reduction in NOx emissions below the ICAO CAEP/6 regulation. The engines are certified to operate on 50 percent SAF and have been successfully tested with 100 percent SAF.
A division of Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE: RTX), Pratt & Whitney is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) for commercial, military, regional, business and general aviation aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is known for their innovative technologies such as the Geared Turbofan (GTF) commercial aircraft engine and the PW800 business jet engine.
Source(s): Pratt & Whitney, Korean Air