SAS has selected CFM International’s LEAP-1A engines to power their new fleet of 35 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft which were ordered in 2018. The agreement also includes eight spares as well as CFM’s rate-per-flight hour support agreement.
On Monday (February 15, 2021), SAS announced the selection of CFM International’s LEAP-1A engines to power their new fleet of Airbus A320neo Family aircraft ordered in 2018. The agreement also includes eight spare engines as well as CFM’s rate-per-service-hour (RPFH) support agreement to cover the new engines and 15 additional LEAP-1A A320neos on lease. The new agreement is part of SAS’ fleet upgrade program which is focused on improved efficiency and sustainability. In Monday’s announcement, SAS’ Executive Vice President and CFO, Magnus Örnberg, said,
“The new LEAP engines and long-term services agreement are an integral part of SAS´ strategic fleet upgrade and will continue to greatly improve our efficiency in our operations. Our goal is to be industry leaders in sustainable aviation, and we are to reduce emissions with 25 per cent by 2025, in comparison to 2005. This will mainly be enabled by using state of the art technologies allowing for lower fuel consumption and an increase in use of sustainable aviation fuels.”
Also commenting on the new engine purchase and services agreement, CFM International’s President and CEO, Gaël Meheust, added,
"We are delighted to expand our long-term relationship with SAS, an airline we share the core values with. Over four decades, CFM has been working on developing leading-edge technologies that help our airlines customers make their operations cost-efficient and sustainable. We take SAS' trust as a great responsibility to keep supporting their operations with the best CFM standards in terms of reliability.”
SAS was the launch customer for CFM’s LEAP-1A engines in 2011, to power their first order of Airbus A320neos. The carrier currently operates a fleet of 44 A320neos and one A321neo LR, which are powered by fuel-efficient LEAP-1A engines. SAS also plans on introducing two additional A321neo LRs, bringing their total A320 Family aircraft ordered in 2011 and 2018 to 80. The LEAP-1A continues to set a new industry standard for fuel efficiency and asset utilization, logging over seven million flight hours in commercial operation and delivering a 15 percent reduction in fuel burn, reduced emissions, and a smaller noise footprint compared to the best CFM56 engines.
SAS is the leading airline in Scandinavia, normally carrying over 30 million passengers annually from its main hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm to 125 destinations in Europe, the US and Asia (pre-pandemic figures). The company has targeted a reduction in carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2025 compared to 2005 levels and hopes to transition to 100% biofuel for domestic flights by 2030. SAS also offers ground handling services, technical maintenance and cargo services. The carrier is a founding member of the Star Alliance, which offers an extensive global network.
Source: SAS