General Electric wins $2.5 billion engine maintenance contract

British Airways awarded a GBP1.5 billion (~ $2.5 billion) engine maintenance contract with GE, one of the largest engineering contracts awarded in the airline’s history. The ten-year agreement will see GE responsible for the maintenance, overhaul and repair for the airline’s RB211-524 and CFM56 engines. The Rolls-Royce RB211 engines power British Airways 57 Boeing 747s and 21 767s. The CFM56 engines power the airline’s 32 Boeing 737s and ten of its 26 Airbus A320 aircraft. The new agreement replaces an existing contract with GE, which was due to expire at the end of this year.The agreement could see GE carry out more than 800 overhauls or repairs on British Airways’ fleet of RB211 and CFM56-3/5 engines. All of the work will be performed at GE’s engine maintenance facility in Nantgarw, Wales, which employs more than 850 people.