Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines power Delta Air Lines’ inaugural A321neo flight

Pratt & Whitney, Airbus and Delta Air Lines celebrated the first revenue flight of the airline’s first Airbus A321neo aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines. The event was commemorated with a gate celebration at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, attended by representatives of all three companies, after which the plane departed for San Francisco International Airport. Delta announced the selection of Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power its A321neo fleet in December 2017, with a total of 155 purchase commitments through 2027.

“Our GTF-powered A321neo fleet extends our long and successful partnership with Pratt & Whitney,” said Mahendra Nair, senior vice president, fleet and TechOps supply chain. “We’re seeing unprecedented demand for the summer travel season, and we look forward to offering our customers an elevated experience on board our new state-of-the-art aircraft.”

Pratt & Whitney powers more than 230 aircraft in Delta’s fleet today including Airbus A220 and A330 aircraft, as well as Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. The airline’s GTF-powered A220 fleet is the largest in the world, with 55 aircraft. In 2019, Delta TechOps joined the Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO network, which supports GTF operators of Airbus A220 and A320neo family aircraft around the world.

“Today we celebrate another milestone with the Delta team as they enter service with their new GTF-powered A321neo aircraft,” said Rick Deurloo, chief commercial officer at Pratt & Whitney. “We thank Delta for their confidence in Pratt & Whitney and look forward to building upon our 90-year relationship.”

The Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine is the only geared propulsion system delivering industry-leading sustainability benefits, mature dispatch reliability and world-class operating costs. GTF engines for the Airbus A320neo family reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 16 percent, regulated emissions by 50 percent and noise footprint by 75 percent. The engine’s revolutionary geared fan architecture is the foundation for more sustainable aviation technologies in the decades ahead, with advancements like the Pratt & Whitney GTF Advantage™ engine and beyond.