JAKARTA, July 29, 2015 - (ACN Newswire) - Garuda Indonesia and CFM International are pleased to announce the expansion of their long-term partnership, providing support for the airline's future fleet revitalization program. Under the arrangement announced at the 2015 Paris Air Show, Garuda Indonesia has committed to purchase 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which will be powered by CFM LEAP-1B engines.
"We are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with CFM," said Arif Wibowo, President Director and Chief Executive Officer for Garuda Indonesia. "The Next-Generation 737 with CFM56-7B engines is the backbone of our current fleet and this order for the 737 MAX shows our continued commitment to providing our passengers with the most modern, fuel efficient aircraft/engine combination available today."
Garuda Indonesia is a long-time CFM customer and began operating the CFM56-3-powered Boeing 737-300 in the late 1990s. Today, the airline's fleet includes approximately 80 CFM-powered 737 aircraft in service or on order.
"We are pleased that Garuda Indonesia has continued to place its trust in CFM," said Max York, Regional General Manager of Sales for CFM International. "We have built a great relationship with this airline over the years and really look forward to introducing the LEAP engine into their fleet."
The LEAP engine promises to be the most advanced, reliable, fuel-efficient powerplant for the new generation of single-aisle aircraft. The engine incorporates many industry firsts, including the 3-D woven carbon fiber composite fan blade and case; the one-of-a-kind debris rejection system; fourth-generation 3-D aerodynamics; the first commercial use of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs); the revolutionary combustor design featuring fuel nozzles grown using additive manufacturing; and light-weight Titanium Aluminide airfoils. The lower weight and higher durability these components provide will result in a 15 percent improvement in fuel efficiency, with an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions; a 50 percent margin to new emissions regulations; a dramatically lower noise signature; CFM's industry-leading reliability and low overall operating costs.
Garuda Indonesia announced in October 2014 the airline's intent to purchase 50 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The agreement is part of Garuda Indonesia's revitalization program in order to provide its passengers with the best possible experience with the youngest fleet in the sky and to support the airline's future plan to further expand its network globally.
The the economics of the 737 MAX 8 will help keep Garuda Indonesia competitive and bring a new level of service excellence for its customers. The 737 MAX incorporates the latest-technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.
The airline currently operates more than 90 Boeing airplanes, including Next-Generation versions of the 737, 777-300ERs and 747-400s.
About CFM International
LEAP engines are a product of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran) and GE. The company has received orders and commitments for a total of more than 9,500 LEAP engines through the end of June 2015. For more information, visit us at www.cfmaeroengines.com or follow us on Twitter @CFM_engines.
About PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.
Presenting a new level of service excellence in air travel, Garuda Indonesia, the national airline of Indonesia, seamlessly connects more than 75 destinations worldwide to not only one of the largest economies in Southeast Asia, but also an array of exotic locations in the beautiful archipelago of Indonesia all at once. With close to 600 daily flights and a fleet of 174 aircraft with the average age of which is less than five years old, Garuda Indonesia proudly serves its passengers with the award-winning "Garuda Indonesia Experience" service, which highlights Indonesia's warm hospitality and rich diverse culture.
The airline continuously strives, through its ongoing transformation program, to provide better and more convenient services with one of the youngest fleets in the sky, which should grow to around 190 aircraft by 2015. The progress of Garuda Indonesia's transformation program can be seen from achieving a Skytrax's 5-star airline rating, one of the world's 10 best airline, as well as winning the prestigious "The World's Best Cabin Crew" award for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015, and "The World's Best Economy Class" award in 2013, also from Skytrax. Garuda Indonesia is a member of SkyTeam, the global airline alliance with 20 members, providing access to an extensive global network with over 16,320 daily flights to 1,052 destinations in 177 countries.
Garuda Indonesia is listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange [IDX:GIAA]. For further information, please log on to www.garuda-indonesia.com, follow @IndonesiaGaruda on Twitter, like our Facebook page at PT.GarudaIndonesia, or subscribe to youtube.com/GarudaIndonesia1949.
Source: PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.
Contact:
M. Ikhsan Rosan
Acting VP Corporate Communications
Tel: +62 21 2560 1069
Fax: +62 21 2560 1068
Email: corpcomm@garuda-indonesia.com
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