JetBlue Picks Pratt & Whitney For A320neo Engine Order

JetBlue has selected Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines to power its entire fleet of Airbus A320neo aircraft, in a deal that more than doubles the airline’s previous order.

In 2012 JetBlue ordered Pratt engines to power 40 A320neos, but the amended order just announced adds power-plants for a further 45 aircraft. The value of the order was not released.

The agreement includes maintenance and 13 spare engines for JetBlue’s A320neo fleet, with deliveries starting next year.

“The result of our comprehensive competitive bidding process cements a great long term partnership between JetBlue and Pratt & Whitney,” JetBlue EVP Steve Priest said. “We are confident we've made an excellent choice to power our Airbus neo fleet.”

Pratt & Whitney is recovering from a series of delays on its geared turbofan engines. As recently as mid-March the United Technologies subsidiary suffered another blow when India’s civil aviation regulator ordered 11 Airbus A320neos fitted with Pratt GTF engines to be grounded after an IndiGo aircraft suffered an engine failure.

Indian carriers had three mid-air engine failures in less than a month, and the directive took the total number of P&W geared turbofan-powered A320neos grounded to 14.

Pratt & Whitney said after the Indian decision that corrective action had been approved and they were already delivering upgraded production engines to airlines.