Etihad, Engine Alliance in $1.5 bln deal for A380 engines

Etihad Airways and the Engine Alliance have signed agreements for the purchase of the GP7200 engines to power its fleet of ten Airbus A380 aircraft and for a long-term Fleet Management Agreement for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of the engines. The agreements are worth up to $1.5 billion.
“The GP7200 engines, provided by the Engine Alliance in this agreement, will offer significant fuel efficiencies and cost optimisation for Etihad’s first Airbus A380s when they enter our fleet from 2014,” said James Hogan, Etihad’s CEO.
Emirates and Air France currently operate GP7200-powered A380 aircraft. Other GP7200 customers include Korean Air, which will begin operating the A380 in June, Air Austral and International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).
The Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. GP7200 Engine Program participants include SNECMA (France), Techspace Aero (Belgium) and MTU Aero Engines (Germany).
Etihad Airways operates a two-class Airbus A320 aircraft between Abu Dhabi and Larnaca, Cyprus every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.