Frontier Airlines selects P&W GTF™ engines for its Airbus A320neo aircraft
Pratt & Whitney and Frontier Airlines (“Frontier”) has announced the selection of Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power 134 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The engines will power 49 A320neo, 67 A321neo and 18 A321XLR aircraft, with the first of these aircraft currently scheduled for delivery in 2022. Pratt & Whitney will also provide Frontier with engine maintenance through a long-term EngineWise® Comprehensive service agreement.
“Frontier Airlines is at the forefront of green innovation in the airline industry and this deal for advanced GTF engines from Pratt & Whitney is extremely significant in our continued action plan to reduce fuel consumption,” said Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier Airlines. “Operating with this new engine technology will result in additional fuel savings which translates to operational cost reductions we can pass on to consumers in the form of low fares.”
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Frontier Airlines is a portfolio airline of Indigo Partners. The airline is a first-time Pratt & Whitney customer and will operate their GTF-powered A320neo family aircraft on domestic and international routes in North America.
“It is with immense pride and excitement that we welcome Frontier Airlines to the Pratt & Whitney family,” said Rick Deurloo, Chief Commercial Officer, Pratt & Whitney. “With the GTF engine, Frontier will be getting more than fuel efficiency and environmental responsibility; Pratt & Whitney will be with Frontier every step of the way, supporting their operations for decades to come.”
The other three airlines affiliated with Indigo Partners – Volaris in Mexico, JetSMART in Chile, and Wizz Air in Hungary – are all long-time Pratt & Whitney customers that operate both A320ceo family aircraft with V2500® engines and A320neo family aircraft with GTF engines. Together, the four Indigo Partners’ affiliate airlines have committed to 539 GTF-powered aircraft.
Since entering service in early 2016, the GTF engine has demonstrated its promised ability to reduce fuel burn by 16%, to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% compared to the regulatory standard, and to reduce the noise footprint by 75%.