Air France-KLM has selected General Electric engines in a deal valued at more than $1.7 billion at list prices to power a fleet of 37 Boeing 787-9s, including 12 aircraft to be leased from ILFC.
The order also includes an agreement allowing Air France-KLM to provide maintenance overhauls for the GEnx-1B.
The SkyTeam carrier ordered 25 787-9s in December 2011, but continued to evaluate the 74,000lb-thrust-class GEnx-1B and Rolls-Royce Trent 1000.
Air France-KLM sought a package deal with the opportunity to offer maintenance services for other airlines, but the performance of the engine itself was a key factor in selecting the GEnx-1B, says chief executive Alexander de Juniac.
“Its economic efficiency and environmental performance is a major asset to our fleet,” he says.
The engine selection also confirms that Air France-KLM will be leasing 12 787-9s from ILFC to be used by Air France.
An Air France-KLM statement says that 787 deliveries will begin in October 2015 and conclude in January 2017.
The schedule suggests the carrier’s timing for widebody replacements has accelerated slightly since last June, when Air France-KLM set the timeline for deliveries between 2016-18.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
