At the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Air Travel and CFM International have signed a 12-year LEAP-1A engine rate per flight hour (RPFH) agreement to support the smooth operation of Air Travel’s A320neo aircraft that will be introduced in the future.
The agreement, which includes the purchase of LEAP-1A spare engines, is valued at US$992 million at list price. Currently, Changsha Hunan Province-based Air Travel operates an all-Airbus fleet of 16 A320-series aircraft which have an average age of three years. Under the terms of the agreement, CFM Services will guarantee maintenance costs for the airlines’ LEAP-1A engines on a dollar per engine flight hour basis.
Air Travel is the first local airline to operate in Hunan Province and first took to the skies in 2016, offering predominantly domestic air passenger and cargo transportation services. Commenting on the agreement, Zhang Junsuo, CEO of Air Travel, said: “The high reliability and outstanding fuel efficiency of LEAP-1A engine provides a strong guarantee for us to cope with the challenges that are arising in the post-epidemic era and ensure our smooth operation. This is critical to Air Travel since we have just completed successful transformation. We believe that with the professional support of CFM International, Air Travel will create a safer, smoother, and more comfortable flight experience for more customers.”