Air India and CFM International have finalised a LEAP engines order that will power the airline’s new fleet of 210 Airbus A320/A321neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX family aircraft. The order was first announced in February 2023.

Both companies have also signed a multi-year services agreement that will cover the airline’s entire fleet of LEAP engines.

Air India has been a CFM customer since 2002 when it began operating Airbus A320ceo aircraft powered by CFM56-5B engines.

Then in 2017, Air India began operating A320neos, becoming the first LEAP-1A powered operator in India. The airline now currently has 27 LEAP-1A-powered A320neo family aircraft in its fleet.

The LEAP engine family has achieved one of the fastest accumulations of flight hours in commercial aviation history, amassing more than 33 million engine flight hours and 15 million flight cycles.

LEAP engines provide 15 to 20 per cent better fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions, as well as a significant reduction in noise compared to previous generation engines. Since its entry into service in 2016, the LEAP engine has allowed customers to save more than 20 million tonnes of CO2 compared to the same flights operated using aircraft powered by previous generation engines.

Gaël Méheust, president and chief executive of CFM International, said: “The 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.”

(Picture above – L-R – Gaël Méheust, CFM International; Russell Stokes, GE Aerospace; Campbell Wilson, Air India; and Jean-Paul Alary, Safran Aircraft Engines)