India’s Indigo selects CFM engines to power Airbus fleet

(Reuters) – India’s biggest airline IndiGo said on Friday it had selected jet engine manufacturer CFM International’s LEAP-1A engines to power its fleet of 310 new Airbus aircraft.

The agreement includes 620 new installed engines, associated spare engines and a multi-year service agreement, which will be delivered from 2023 onwards.

IndiGo had already chosen CFM’s LEAP-1A engines for 280 Airbus aircraft in 2019 after dropping its previous supplier Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies.

The company said latest deal brings the total number of LEAP-powered Airbus aircraft in IndiGo’s fleet, or currently on order, to 590. IndiGo is one of European planemaker Airbus’ largest customers.

“This expansion will serve as a catalyst to boost India’s economic growth and the mobility of its people,” said Ronojoy Dutta, IndiGo’s chief executive officer.

IndiGo’s parent Interglobe Aviation earlier this month said it would consider raising equity, just months after abandoning plans to raise up to 40 billion rupees ($543 million) in response to a speedy recovery in travel.

SOURCE REUTERS