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Carrier group Air France-KLM has finalised an order for 200 CFM International Leap-1A engines to power its incoming fleet of Airbus A320neo-family jets. Air France-KLM announced in December 2021 that it had placed a commitment for 100 A320neo and A321neo aircraft, plus 60 options, to renew the fleets of KLM and Transavia Netherlands, and to expand that of Transavia France. Negotiations between the parties regarding the engine order began in April. Air France-KLM airlines already operate CFM56-7B and -5B engines on their respective Boeing 737NG and A320ceo fleets. “We are honoured to further expand our partnership with one of the industry’s largest groups and to be an integral part of Air France-KLM’s sustainability strategy,” says Gael Meheust, CFM chief executive. “This renewed trust is a valuable recognition of Leap engine performance in terms of sustainability and fuel efficiency.” To-date, the in-service Leap fleet – including both the -1A and -1B models – has logged more than 20 million flight hours and nine million cycles.<br/>

The Italian government has received offers from foreign bidders for its new national airline Italia Trasporto Aereo, or ITA, the successor to long-troubled carrier Alitalia, according to people familiar with the matter. The offers are about E200m lower than the initial ones, said one of the people who declined to be named because the negotiations are not public. ITA expects to close the transaction by the end of the year, CEO Fabio Lazzerini said last month. The bids include one led by container giant MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. partnering with German airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and one headed by US-based Certares Management LLC, a travel and tourism-focused investment firm. A successful sale would mark a big win for Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the wake of a series of failed divestments by previous administrations over the course of more than a decade. <br/>