NEW DELHI: Billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-promoted upcoming Akasa Air has ordered CFM's LEAP-1B engines valued at $4.5 billion at list price for the 72 Boeing 737 Max it had ordered at the Dubai Air Show on Tuesday.
CFM will maintain Akasa Air’s engines for high technical dispatch reliability.
The LEAP-1B engine entered into service on the Boeing 737 MAX in 2017.
More than 600 aircraft have been delivered to some 66 operators worldwide and the fleet has logged more than 25 lakh engine flight hours.
Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube said: "We are extremely pleased to partner with CFM International as we embark on an exciting journey," Dube added.
CFM International EVP Philippe Couteaux said: "We are proud to develop a strong relationship with Akasa and play a key role in the launch of their operations, by providing them with the industry-leading asset utilization, fuel efficiency, and overall cost of ownership."
In a statement, CFM said: "Since CFM delivered the first CFM56 engines in the early 90’s, the company has been
developing a trustful relationship with major Indian Airlines and playing a key role in Indian domestic market continuous growth. To date, nearly 600 engines are operated by airlines from the Indian subcontinent and more than 1,700 LEAP engines are on order."
