Volaris Selects Pratt & Whitney GTF Engines to Power an Additional 64 Airbus A321neo Aircraft

The Mexican low-cost airline Volaris has selected Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power an additional 64 Airbus A321neo aircraft. The agreement was announced by the companies at the Paris Air Show on 20 June. Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, will also provide Volaris with engine maintenance through an EngineWise Maintenance long-term agreement.

This brings Volaris’ total commitment to 217 GTF-powered purchased and leased aircraft, including the airline’s previous selection of GTF engines for 153 A320neo family aircraft. Volaris was the first airline in North America to fly the A320neo and currently operates 70 GTF-powered A320neo family aircraft and 53 V2500-powered A320ceo family aircraft.

Enrique Beltranena, chief executive officer at Volaris, 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.”

Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney, said, “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 GTF engine is the world’s most advanced and efficient jet engine and has set new standards for fuel efficiency, noise reduction, and environmental performance. The GTF engine has saved more than 500 million gallons (1.9 billion liters) of fuel and avoided over five million tonnes of carbon emissions since entering service in 2016.

The A321neo is the largest member of the A320neo family, with a maximum take-off weight of 97 tonnes and a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles. The aircraft can seat up to 240 passengers in a single-class layout or up to 206 passengers in a two-class configuration.

Airbus has received more than 7,500 orders from over 120 customers for the A320neo family, of which more than 1,500 have been delivered. The A320neo family is already in service with over 100 airlines worldwide.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, Airbus, Volaris