AirAsia runs contest for engine supplier

AirAsia runs contest for engine supplier - Business Times (subscription) #AirAsia

[TOULOUSE] AirAsia Bhd said that it will run a contest to pick an engine supplier for its latest crop of Airbus 320 planes rather than automatically select its regular supplier, a General Electric Co (GE) and Safran SA venture. Pratt & Whitney will get the opportunity to pitch for the contract to power 100 planes ordered earlier this month, said Anaz Ahmad Tajuddin, the airline's head of engineering for Asia. AirAsia, the region's biggest discount airline and Airbus' biggest A320 customer in Asia, unveiled an order for the jets earlier this month. The contract includes 36 current-generation A320s and 64 fuel-efficient A320neos. "We have to look at fuel savings provided by both engine suppliers and maintenance costs: those are the two drivers," said Mr Anaz. The airline will make a decision by the end of January, he said.

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