CFM has announced separate deals worth billions of dollars that it won during the visit of the President of France Emmanuel Macron to Saudi Arabia. CFM said Saudi Arabian Airlines has ordered CFM International LEAP-1A engines to power its new fleet of 35 Airbus A321neo and 30 A320neo aircraft. The agreement, which also includes a Rate-Per-Flight-Hour (RPFH) services contract to cover engines from this new order as well as an additional 20 leased A320neo aircraft, is valued at approximately US$8.5 billion at list prices.
Based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabian Airlines operates 61 CFM56-5B-powered Airbus A320ceo aircraft, and SAUDIA Group’s its low-cost subsidiary, flyadeal, operates 11 CFM56-5B-powered Airbus A320ceo aircraft and 5 A320neo with LEAP-1A engines.
Under the terms of the agreement, CFM will also assist the SAUDIA Group subsidiary Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) in developing its own engine overhaul services, including disassembly, inspection, assembly, testing, and qualification/certification for the LEAP-1A engines.
“We have been delighted with the reliability and the best-in-class support provided by CFM over the years. We look forward to introducing further LEAP engines into our fleet and we believe that this engine will be a real asset in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness,” said Ibrahim Al-Omar, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines Group.
CFM also announced that flynas, the low-cost flag carrier in Saudi Arabia, has finalised a multi-year Rate Per Flight Hour (RPFH) agreement with CFM International for the LEAP-1A engines powering the airline’s fleet of 80 Airbus A320neo aircraft. The support agreement is valued at US$4 billion at list price pertaining to the Letter Agreement for aircraft engine selection signed in 2018.
The RPFH agreement is a part of CFM’s portfolio of flexible aftermarket support offerings. Throughout the term of the agreement, CFM will guarantee maintenance costs for the airline’s 160 LEAP-1A engines on per engine flight hour basis.
Based in Riyadh, flynas currently operates both domestic and international flights with a modern fleet of 20 Airbus A320neo aircraft powered by the fuel-efficient LEAP-1A engines and 16 Airbus A320ceo aircraft powered by CFM56-5B engines. The airline has been named “Middle-East’s Leading Low-Cost Airline” by World Travel Awards six consecutive years starting in 2015, and also “Best Low-Cost Airline” by Skytrax World Airline Awards four consecutive year starting 2017 including “Most Improved Airline in the Middle-East” and also “Best Airline Staff in the Middle-East”.
“Flynas has been a long-standing, invaluable customer. It’s an honour to grow our relationship, and we’re confident CFM aftermarket services will help facilitate further growth for our customer, now and in the future,” said Philippe Couteaux, vice president of Sales & Marketing for CFM International.
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