By David Pearson
PARIS--Air France-KLM said Monday it has chosen GEnx-1B engines
to power its future fleet of Boeing 787-9 jetliners, and said it
has inked a partnership deal with GE that will allow it to carry
out maintenance and repairs on these engines for its own aircraft
as well as those of other airlines. The value of the engine supply
contract wasn't disclosed.
Building up its profitable Air France-KLM Industries KLM
Engineering & Maintenance division is a strategic goal for
loss-making Air France-KLM as it struggles to reduce its debt and
become sustainably profitable.
The Franco-Dutch airline group has signed firm orders for 25
Boeing 787-9 jets and has options on another 25. Air France-KLM
also has signed leases with International Lease Finance Co., a unit
of AIG Inc., for a further 12.
Dutch carrier KLM will receive its first 787-9 in 2015, while
its French sister airline Air France will start taking delivery in
2017.
Airlines ordering the 787-9 have a choice between the GEnx-1B
engine or the Trent 1000 engine made by Rolls-Royce PLC.
Write to David Pearson at david.pearson@wsj.com
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