Finnair makes green choice with new engine supplier

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September 20, 2012 at 9:22 am

Republished with permission from Finnair - IAE selected to equip Airbus A321 extended range aircraft joining fleet in 2013

Finnair has selected IAE International Aero Engines AG to supply engines for its five new Airbus A321 extended range aircraft, entering the Finnair fleet from September 2013. The IAE V2533-A5 engines offer Finnair a significant advantage in fuel efficiency over the competition, saving about 300 tons of fuel per year per aircraft, according to aircraft supplier Airbus test data. The engines also operate well within noise limitations set by ICAO and the EU.

Finnair announced in June 2010 an order for five Airbus aircraft to replace the four Boeing 757s currently in the fleet. The new A321s will be quieter and more comfortable for passengers, as well as about 5 per cent more fuel efficient. The move also enables more flexibility and interoperability between European scheduled and leisure flights, driving up aircraft utilisation and further reducing per-passenger emissions.

“The IAE engines on these aircraft allow us to enhance the customer experience while also saving on fuel costs and making a substantial dent in our carbon profile,” says COO Ville Iho. “They are essential to remaining competitive in the tough market in European narrow-body traffic, both scheduled and leisure.”

“A modern fleet is an investment in Finnair’s future,” adds Kati Ihamäki, VP Sustainable Development. “Especially in the emissions trading era, sourcing decisions like this have an appreciable effect on our bottom line, not to mention savvy and well-informed customers looking for greener choices when flying.”

“IAE is very pleased to have been selected by Finnair,” says IAE President Jon Beatty. “The V2500 SelectOne™ upgrade was launched with customers such as Finnair in mind. The upgrade further improved the V2500’s fuel burn advantage, resulting in even lower CO2 emissions and enabling customers to potentially save a significant amount on purchases of carbon credits. It also resulted in the quietest engine in this sector with margins below Chapter 4 standards, which can lead to lower landing fees for noise sensitive airports. We look forward to working closely with Finnair to help them meet their goals.”

About Finnair
Finnair is specialised in fast connections between Europe and Asia via Helsinki. The airline carries more than eight million passengers annually and connects 11 cities in Asia with more than 50 destinations in Europe. The airline, a pioneer in sustainable flying, operates a young, modern fleet and has the highest score of any publically disclosing airline in the worldwide Carbon Disclosure Project. The only Nordic carrier with a 4-star Skytrax ranking, Finnair also has won the World Airline Award for Best Airline Northern Europe for the past three years running. Finnair is a member of the oneworld alliance.

About IAE
IAE is a multinational aero engine consortium whose shareholders are comprised of Pratt & Whitney (NYSE: UTX), Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines and MTU Aero Engines. To date, more than 5,000 engines have been delivered and nearly 2,000 more engines are on order with close to 200 customers around the world.