Akasa Air entered into an agreement with Franco-American aircraft engine manufacturer, CFM International, to procure over 300 Leap-1B engines to power 150 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes.
In conjunction with the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India, Akasa Air and CFM International on Friday announced this agreement, the airlines operator said in a statement.
The agreement also includes spare engines and a services contract, the Mumbai-based operator said.
Akasa Air launched its operations in August 2022, and had previously ordered a total of 76 Leap-1B-powered 737-8 aircraft—of which 22 are currently in service.
“With CFM as our long-term engine maintenance provider, we remain confident in our path to becoming one of the top 30 leading airlines in the world, by the turn of this decade,” said Vinay Dube, founder and chief executive officer of Akasa Air.
The new order grows CFM's footprint in India, with more than 400 CFM-powered aircraft in service and 2,500 LEAP engines in the backlog, the statement said.
A joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, CFM International is a leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines.
The late billionaire and investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed airline currently has a fleet of 22 aircraft in operation and expects to have a fleet of 226 by 2032, CEO Dube told NDTV Profit earlier this month. The airline is is well-capitalised and has the financial strength to back its order of 150 additional aircraft from Boeing, he said.
The India growth story, with a huge jump in travelling, improved infrastructure and growing demand, in addition to the support from employees, gives Akasa Air the confidence to place such a huge order, the CEO had said.
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