SAS has selected CFM International LEAP-1A engines to power its new fleet of 35 A320neo family aircraft ordered in 2018. This agreement also includes eight spare engines. In addition, SAS has signed with CFM a Rate-Per-Flight-Hour (RPFH) support agreement to cover its new fleet of LEAP-1A engines, including spares, as well as 15 additional LEAP-1A-powered A320neo on lease.

This new agreement is part of SAS' fleet upgrade program that aims to improve efficiency and sustainability performances. SAS has been at the forefront of introducing technologies that reduce the impact of aviation on the environment, as well as choosing efficient engines to power its fleet.

"The new LEAP engines and long-term services agreement are an integral part of SAS´ strategic fleet upgrade and will continue to greatly improve our efficiency in our operations. Our goal is to be industry leaders in sustainable aviation, and we are to reduce emissions with 25 per cent by 2025, in comparison to 2005. This will mainly be enabled by using state of the art technologies allowing for lower fuel consumption and an increase in use of sustainable aviation fuels"  says Magnus Örnberg, Executive Vice President and CFO, SAS.

"We are delighted to expand our long-term relationship with SAS, an airline we share the core values with. Over four decades, CFM has been working on developing leading-edge technologies that help our airlines customers make their operations cost-efficient and sustainable. We take SAS' trust as a great responsibility to keep supporting their operations with the best CFM standards in terms of reliability" says Gaël Meheust, President and CEO of CFM International.

SAS was a launch customer for CFM's advanced LEAP-1A engine that it selected in 2011 to power the first batch of 30 A320neo. SAS currently operates 44 A320neo aircraft and 1 A321neo LR powered by the fuel-efficient LEAP engine and plans to introduce two additional A321neo LR.In total SAS orders for purchased and leased aircraft placed in 2011 and 2018 will enable SAS to increase the fleet of A320neo to 80.

CFM International’s advanced LEAP-1A engine continues to set a new industry standard for fuel efficiency and asset utilization, logging more than seven million engine flight hours in commercial operations. The fleet is demonstrating a 15 percent better fuel consumption and CO2 reductions as well as a significant improvement in noise emissions compared to the best CFM56 engines.