Having founded the ‘fleet of the future’ when Pegasus Airlines launched its scheduled flights on 1 November 2005, Pegasus’ order of 100 Airbus aircraft on 2012, now forms part of its vision for the future. 

The A320neo and A321neo Airbus aircraft on order will carry the LEAP-1A model of engine produced by CFM International, with the first delivery of the aircraft due in 2016. An agreement has been signed by representatives of Pegasus Airlines and CFM International, a joint venture between American GE and French Snecma, at CFM’s Snecma Villaroche factory in France for the production of the aircraft engines and for their maintenance.

The agreement, signed by Pegasus Airlines’ General Manager Sertac Haybat and Snecma CEO Pierre Fabre, lays the ground for CFM’s production of the LEAP-1A engines and the maintenance of each engine for a period of at least 20 years from the time of its delivery.

Pegasus Airlines’ General Manager Sertac Haybat said at the signing ceremony: “Following on from our order of aircraft with Airbus, we have been working on choosing the most-suitable engine for our new neo320 and neo321 aircraft, which will be delivered from 2016 onwards, selecting one that is highly efficient and environmentally friendly. Our researches have now come to a close with this signing of an agreement for a long-term working partnership between us and CFM International, a joint venture between American giant GE and French Snecma. As such, we’ve expanded to the point that we’ve now reached. In addition to our $12 billion order for 100 new aircraft, this agreement we have now signed with CFM for the maintenance of our aircraft engines is worth approximately $4.3 billion.”

Haybat continued: “This long-term agreement with GE and Snecma is a clear indication of the confidence that these companies have in Pegasus’ future”.

Sertac Haybat also pointed out that the partnership with CFM will continue to at least 2042, based on the last scheduled delivery date for the Airbus aircraft in 2022. “This is of course a significant length of time for such a partnership; and thus a clear indication of the confidence and belief that such long-established companies as General Electric and Snecma have in Pegasus, its potential and in its future. With this agreement, and as an airline focused on efficiency, we will be keeping financial control of what is arguably the most significant maintenance cost for airlines, the maintenance for our aircraft engines.”

As part of his speech, CEO and Chairman of the Board for Snecma Pierre Fabre said at the signing ceremony: “We are very happy to have made this agreement with Pegasus for a working relationship that is set to last more than 20 years. Our aim is to now honour our promise to Pegasus regarding these engines, by completing this most-important of jobs as scheduled within the remit of our LEAP programme.”