Pratt & Whitney has today announced that Volaris has selected GTF™ engines to power an additional 64 Airbus A321neos. Pratt & Whitney will also provide engine maintenance through a long-term EngineWise® Maintenance agreement.
On Monday (June 19, 2023), From the Paris Air Show, Pratt & Whitney announced that Volaris has selected GTF engines to power 64 additional Airbus A321neos. This brings the carrier’s total commitment to 217 GTF-powered purchased and leased aircraft, including a previous order for GTF engines to power 153 A320neo aircraft. Additionally, Pratt & Whitney will provide engine maintenance to Volaris through an EngineWise Maintenance agreement. Volaris was the first North American operator of the Airbus A320neo and currently operates 70 GTF-powered A320neo Family aircraft and 53 V2500® powered A320ceo Family aircraft.
In Monday’s announcement, Volaris’ Chief Executive Officer, Enrique Beltranena, said,
“The additional GTF-powered A321neo aircraft will drive our growth while being mindful of our environmental footprint. This engine-and-aircraft combination means we'll be able to fly even more passengers, farther – with some of the lowest costs, fuel consumption and emissions per seat in the Americas.”
Pratt & Whitney’s President of Commercial Engines, Rick Deurloo, added,
“As a leading low-cost carrier with a strong focus on sustainability, Volaris knows how important low fuel consumption and emissions are to their business model and environmental leadership. Volaris’ selection of the GTF engine for this follow-on order is a testament to the value the engine is already delivering today, and we look forward to powering the airline's expansion in the years to come.”
The Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine, featuring Collins Aerospace nacelle and accessories, offers Airbus A320neo Family operators the greatest fuel efficiency and reduced GHG emissions. GTF-powered aircraft deliver fuel consumption and emissions reductions of 16 to 20 percent, a reduction of NOx emissions of up to 50 percent compared to ICAO CAEP/6 regulations and a 75 percent smaller noise footprint versus prior generation aircraft. Currently, GTF engines are certified to run on 50 percent SAF, and have been successfully tested to run on 100 percent SAF.
Based in Mexico City, Volaris (NYSE:VLRS/BMV:VOLAR) is an ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) and Indigo Partners affiliate serving Mexico the U.S. and Central America. The carrier was the first North American airline to operate the Airbus A320neo and currently operates one of the youngest fleets in the Americas. Since launching operations in March 2006, Volaris has increased their network from five to over 241 routes and the company’s fleet has grown from four to 123 aircraft. Volaris offers over 550 daily departures connecting 43 cities in Mexico and 28 cities in the U.S., Central and South America. The company targets customers visiting friends and relatives, as well as cost-conscious business and leisure travelers.
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, Volaris