Etihad, Engine Alliance in $1.5bn engine deal

ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways inked a $1.5 billion deal with Engine Alliance, owned by General Electric and United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney, to provide engines for its planned fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier said on Monday the GP7200 engines would be used to power a first batch of 10 A380s set to enter its fleet from 2014.

The contract includes long-term fleet management for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of the engines.

Emirates [EMIRA.UL] and Air France currently operate GP7200-powered A380s.

Etihad said in January its revenue grew 29 percent to $2.95 billion in 2010 and it was on track to break even this year and earn a profit in 2012.