Viva Air and CFM International have finalised the airline’s selection of CFM engines to power its new fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft.
The order, which is valued at $3.2 billion at list price, includes LEAP-1A new engines to power 35 A320neo aircraft, CFM56-5B new engines to power 15 A320ceo aircraft, and an aftermarket support contract for the LEAP-1A engines. Deliveries of the A320ceo aircraft began in 2018; the first A320neo is schedule for delivery in 2020.
To support its A320neo fleet, Viva Air also signed a Rate Per Flight Hour (RPFH) agreement with CFM Services. Throughout the term of the 12-year agreement, CFM guarantees maintenance costs for the airlines 70 LEAP-1A engines on a dollar per engine flight hour basis.
“It is an historic day for Viva Air Group,” said Félix Antelo, CEO of Viva Air. “We are proud to announce this partnership with CFM International. LEAP-1A engines are the best option to power our 35 new A320neo aircraft; they will bring us important savings in fuel and maintenance that will benefit our operation and mainly our passengers due to an efficient operation and more affordable prices.”
American Airlines launches A321neo service with new cabin, larger overhead luggage bins
American Airlines is starting scheduled flights with the first of its 100 new Airbus A321neo aircraft on order. These aircraft come equipped with an all-new cabin interior that include larger Airspace XL overhead luggage bins that increase carry-on bag capacity.
American is the launch customer for the Airspace XL bins, which provide approximately 40 percent more overhead storage space for passengers on board the 196-seat aircraft. In addition to equipping its new A321neos with the XL bins, American also plans to retrofit its entire in-service fleet of earlier A321 models – more than 200 aircraft – with the cabin features included on the new A321neos.
Ingo Wuggetzer, Airbus’ Vice President of Cabin Marketing said: “We are very pleased that American Airlines’ first A321neos with the Airspace XL bins are now entering service. We constantly work with airline customers to improve our aircraft cabins, and American in particular played an instrumental role with us in developing our biggest and best overhead bins to date.”