–West Chester, Ohio– Thomas Cook Group today announced that it has selected the CFM56-5B engine to power 12 Airbus A321 aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2014. The engine order is valued at more than $200 million U.S. at list price. The new airplane order was signed earlier today.
In addition to the firm aircraft order, Thomas Cook Group also plans to lease CFM56-5B-powered A320 family aircraft from operating lessors.
Thomas Cook Group plc is one of the worlds leading leisure travel groups and operates a total fleet of more than 90 aircraft and carries 17 million passengers each year. The fleet is split into four airlines: the UK airline, the German airline flying under the Condor brand, the Scandinavian and Belgian airlines.
All of Thomas Cook’s new CFM56-5B engines will incorporate an engine performance improvement package. The modifications will reduce engine fuel consumption by 0.5 percent and lower maintenance costs by 1 percent.
The CFM56-5B PIP is currently undergoing flight tests at Airbus and is schedule for certification in the second quarter 2011. Airline entry into service is planned for the third quarter 2011. The engine will maintain the same noise signature as the current production engine. These engines also meet current International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection standards (CAEP /6) requirements.
CFM56-5B engines are a product of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran group) and GE. CFM, the world’s leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines, has delivered more than 21,600 engines to date. The CFM56-5B engine powers every model of the Airbus A320 family and has been chosen to power approximately 55 percent of all A320 aircraft in service or on order.
