JetBlue Takes Delivery of 1st Airbus A220 Aircraft Powered by P&W GTF Engines

Pratt & Whitney, a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX), Airbus and JetBlue Airways (“JetBlue”) celebrated the Dec. 31, 2020 delivery of the airline’s first Airbus A220-300 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. The airline placed an order for 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft in 2018 and later expanded the order to 70 aircraft in 2019.

“We are thrilled to take delivery of our first A220 aircraft and to offer our passengers a quieter, more sustainable flight experience. The GTF engines enable the economic and environmental performance we need to lower operating costs and continue our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality on our flights,” said Ursula Hurley, vice president, treasurer for JetBlue.

JetBlue has also ordered 85 GTF-powered A320neo family aircraft, including 13 A321LR and 13 A321XLR aircraft. The airline currently operates 13 of the A321neo variant powered by GTF engines, 193 A320ceo family aircraft powered by V2500® engines, and 60 Embraer E190 aircraft equipped with the APS2300E auxiliary power unit (APU).

“This delivery marks another big milestone for JetBlue and Pratt & Whitney. We are honored that JetBlue has operated Pratt & Whitney-powered aircraft since the very beginning – and that JetBlue has selected GTF-powered aircraft for not just one, but two of the airline’s next-generation fleets,” said Rick Deurloo, chief commercial officer and senior vice president at Pratt & Whitney. “We look forward to supporting JetBlue’s expansion and their commitment to sustainable aviation.”

The A220, powered exclusively by GTF engines, offers significantly lower operating costs compared to previous generation aircraft. The engines deliver double-digit improvements in fuel and carbon emissions. They also provide a 75% reduction in noise footprint, based on a 75 dB noise contour, and produce NOx emissions 50% below the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) CAEP/6 regulation.