HANOI, Vietnam — Vietnam's Vietjet today announced it has ordered CFM International’s LEAP-1B engine to power 100 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft announced earlier today. The agreement is valued at $3 billion U.S. at list price, including spare engines.
Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietjet has been a CFM customer since it commenced operations in late 2011 with CFM56-powered aircraft and currently operates a fleet of 35 airplanes.
“It has been a real privilege to work with Vietjet with the CFM56 fleet and we are excited to bring the value of the LEAP engine to their operations,” said Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM International. “In a very short time, the team has established it as the fastest-growing airline in the region, and we believe they are just getting started. We are honored to be part of this dynamic team and look forward to a very long relationship together.”
“We are thrilled to take our relationship with VietJetAir to the next level,” said Gaël Meheust, vice president of sales for CFM International. “We are really looking forward to partnering with them as they introduce the advanced LEAP engine into their fleet and continue to build their brand in the region.”
About Vietjet:
Vietjet is the first airline in Vietnam to operate as a new-age airline with low-cost and diversified services to meet customers’ demands. It provides not only transport services but also uses the latest e-commerce technologies to offer various products and services for consumers. The airline recently won IOSA Certification from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) after just over three years of operations. Vietjet was also declared “Best Asian Low Cost Carrier” at the TTG Travel Awards 2015, which compiles votes from travelers, travel agencies and tour operators in Asia. The airline was also rated as one of the top three fastest growing airline brands on Facebook in the world by Socialbakers and the most favorite airline in Vietnam in 2015.
Currently, the airline boasts a fleet of 36 aircraft, including A320s and A321s, and operates 250 flights each day. It has already opened 50 routes in Vietnam and across the region to international destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Myanmar and Malaysia. It has carried more than 20 million passengers to date.
About CFM International
LEAP-1B engines are a product of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines. CFM, the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines, has delivered nearly 30,000 engines to date. The LEAP engine family is the fastest-selling in aviation history with more than 10,500 orders place through April 2016.