Pratt & Whitney and Air Canada have announced the selection of Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power 30 firm and 14 purchase right Airbus A321XLR aircraft. Pratt & Whitney will also provide Air Canada with engine maintenance through an EngineWise Comprehensive service agreement. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024.
“The Pratt & Whitney GTF family of engines have saved operators more than 600 million gallons of fuel and helped avoid six million metric tons of carbon emissions since it entered service in 2016,” said Rick Deurloo, chief commercial officer at Pratt & Whitney. “What’s good for the environment is also good for business, and marquee operators such as Air Canada will continue to serve their customers with the most efficient engines on offer today.”
In 2020, Air Canada became the first airline in Canada to operate the Airbus A220 family and the first in North America to operate A220-300 aircraft. The airline currently operates 28 A220-300 aircraft with an additional 17 on order. Pratt & Whitney has a long history with Air Canada, dating back to the airline’s first aircraft, a Lockheed Model 10 Electra with Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines. Prior to the A220, Pratt & Whitney powered Air Canada’s fleet of Boeing 767 aircraft.
“Air Canada is pleased to be partnering with Pratt & Whitney by selecting GTF engines for our new fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft. The GTF’s efficiency and reliability will help us lower costs and also allow us to expand our network. As well, the GTF’s state-of-the-art technology will advance our environmental program by reducing emissions and noise,” said Richard Steer, senior vice president, Operations and Express Carriers, at Air Canada.
Pratt & Whitney, Wizz Air celebrate delivery of 1,000th GTF-powered A320neo
Pratt & Whitney announced that 1,000 Airbus A320neo family aircraft powered by GTF engines have now been delivered to airlines around the world. The 1,000th aircraft was an A321neo delivered to Wizz Air in Budapest, Hungary. The airline has selected GTF engines to power 276 A320neo family aircraft, of which 54 have now been delivered. Pratt & Whitney also powers the airline’s fleet of 105 A320ceo family aircraft with V2500 engines.
“We are thrilled to accept the 1,000th GTF-powered A320neo family aircraft,” said Owain Jones, chief development officer at Wizz Air. “The industry-leading technology in the GTF engine is helping to power our growth, while significantly reducing our impact on the environment and further reducing our already best-in-class operating costs. Our collaboration with Pratt & Whitney has helped us make air travel affordable for more people than ever before, and they are now partnering with us through our efforts to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters reach safe destinations.”
“Congratulations to the Wizz Air team on the 1,000th GTF-powered A320neo family aircraft, and on the success that we’ve achieved together since your first flight in 2004,” said Rick Deurloo, chief commercial officer at Pratt & Whitney. “We are honoured to work with you in connecting people and in making the world more sustainable.”