Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation and CFM have signed a LEAP-1A engine purchase and multi-year services agreement. The engines will power SAUDIA’s new fleet of 35 Airbus A321neos and 30 Airbus A320neo aircraft.
On Saturday (December 4, 2021), Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation (SAUDIA) announced the signing of an engine purchase and multi-year services agreement with CFM for LEAP-1A engines. The signing of the agreement coincided with the visit of the President of the French Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Valued at $8.5 billion at list prices, the agreement includes LEAP-1A engines that will power SAUDIA’s new fleet of 35 Airbus A321neos and 30 A320neos. Additionally, the agreement includes a Rate-Per-Flight-Hour (RPFH) services contract covering the engines for the new aircraft, as well as 20 more leased A320neos.
In Saturday’s announcement, Saudi Arabia Airlines Group’s Director General, His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, said,
“We have been delighted with the reliability and the best-in-class support provided by CFM over the years. We look forward to introducing further LEAP engines into our fleet and we believe that this engine will be a real asset in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”
Also commenting on the agreement, CFM International’s Executive Vice President of Sales and marketing, Philippe Couteaux, said,
“We are honored by the trust placed by Saudi Arabian Airlines in selecting our products and support capabilities. CFM is committed to supporting Saudi Arabian Airlines and flyadeal and to add value into their operations.”
Under the agreement, CFM will also assist the SAUDIA Group subsidiary Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) in the development of their own LEAP-1A engine overhaul service capability, including disassembly, inspection, assembly, testing and qualification/certification. CFM’s LEAP-1A engine continues to set a new standard for fuel efficiency and asset utilization, and has logged over 12 million engine flight hours in commercial operations.
SAUDIA also operates 61 CFM56-5B powered Airbus A320ceos, and the Group’s LCC, flyadeal, operates 11 CFM56-5B powered A320ceos, as well as five A320neos powered by LEAB-1A engines.
Award winning Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over the last few years, the carrier has invested significantly in their fleet renewal program and currently operates one of the three youngest fleets in the skies with an average age of only five years. SAUDIA is one of the largest airlines in the Middle East and operates a fleet of 144 narrow and widebody aircraft, with service to 95 destinations across four continents and to all 28 domestic airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Group’s Jeddah-based low-cost carrier (LCC), flyadeal, operates a fleet of 16 Airbus A320s in a single-class configuration.
Source(s): SAUDIA, CFM International