Pratt & Whitney (RTX) has secured an agreement to power AirAsia X’s new fleet of 150 Airbus A220 aircraft with its GTF™ engines, with deliveries due to begin in 2028. As part of the deal, Pratt & Whitney will also provide long-term engine maintenance support through a 12-year EngineWise® Comprehensive service agreement, reinforcing its partnership with AirAsia as the airline expands its next-generation fleet.
“Today marks an important milestone as we welcome AirAsia as the newest customer to the GTF family,” stated Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines, Pratt & Whitney. “This order reflects the airline’s confidence in the GTF engine and its unmatched fuel efficiency and smaller noise footprint. It establishes a strong foundation for a partnership that will support AirAsia’s growth for the years ahead.”
“AirAsia has spent more than two decades making the world smaller. We built Malaysia into the world’s top low-cost carrier hub, and we opened up air travel to millions of people across Asia who had never flown before. This plane gives us the ability to build the biggest and densest network, serving as a vital tool for efficiency. Its range of up to seven hours, powered by the GTF engines, opens up entirely new possibilities, and allows us to match right-sized capacity to demand and give our guests the flexibility to fly whenever they want through increased frequencies. We have democratized travel in Asia by opening up routes that were never feasible before, and now we are going to do it for the world,” said Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia X.
Pratt & Whitney has secured more than 13,000 GTF engine orders and commitments to date, underlining strong market demand for the engine’s industry-leading performance benefits. As the most fuel-efficient engine in the single-aisle market, the GTF delivers up to 20% lower fuel consumption and a noise footprint that is up to 75% smaller than that of the previous generation of engines.
