The deal, part of the US President’s official State visit to Vietnam, is valued at more than USD1.5 billion which include 44 PurePower Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines in accordance with comprehensive terms of warranty, maintenance and repair of engines.
The two parties also signed a memorandum of understanding on maintenance contracts covering these engines.
Mr. Duong Tri Thanh - President and CEO of Vietnam Airlines said: "The signing ceremony today marked a new step in the development of Vietnam Airlines' A321 fleet. The engine we choose is highly efficient, fuel efficient, especially environmentally friendly and comes with comprehensive repair arrangements which help Vietnam Airlines to increase operational efficiency and save on operating expenses. I believe that our agreement will further reinforce the important economic, trade and investment partnership between the two nations”.
The signing ceremony held in Hanoi on November 12th. (Photo provided by Vietnam Airlines)
While Mr. Rick Deurloo, Senior Vice President of sales, marketing and customer support at Pratt & Whitney shared: “We are proud to celebrate this momentous occasion with Vietnam Airlines. We’ve been powering Vietnam Airlines since the early 1990s when the airline received its first PW4000-powered 767. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship and long history with Vietnam Airlines”.
Since its first operation in 2016, the GTF engine has shown a strong performance with a reduction in 16% fuel consumption, 50% emission and 75% noise compared with the current engine. Vietnam Airlines’ A321 airplanes equipped by GTF engines are the new version of the A321 - the largest aircraft type in the Airbus A320 family.
The A321NEO will provide passengers with new standards that will optimize cabin space, increase the size of the exits and new design of passenger cabins. The national flag carrier expects to receive 20 A321NEOs in 2018 and 2019./.
Established in 1925, Pratt & Whitney (a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp USA) is a global aerospace leader in the design, manufacture and services of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. Today, Pratt & Whitney's large commercial engines are being used by 25% of the world's aircraft. Pratt & Whitney's maintenance, repair and overhaul services are carried out on a global basis. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries.