SIA announces 2 orders for GE9X engines and services, Airbus A350F freighters

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) has ordered 22 additional GE9X engines from GE Aviation to power its fleet of Boeing 777-9 aircraft for a total of US$2.8 billion, GE said. The agreement also includes a 12-year services contract for the jet engines.

In a press statement on Wednesday (Feb 16), GE said SIA initially ordered 40 GE9X engines from the engine supplier in 2017 and currently has a total of 31 Boeing 777-9 aircraft on order.

SIA is scheduled to be the first airline in the Asia-Pacific region to operate the new generation widebody Boeing 777-9 aircraft.

In a separate press statement on Wednesday, SIA announced that it has also firmed up an order for 7 Airbus A350F freighters, with options for 5 more aircraft. This follows a letter of intent inked in December last year.

The A350Fs will replace SIA's 7 Boeing 747-400F freighters. SIA said the deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, making SIA the first airline to operate this new-generation widebody freighter aircraft.

The range and payload of the A350F will provide SIA with greater flexibility in its freighter deployment, bolstering its cargo business and cementing its leading position in the sector, said the flag carrier.

The A350F deal with Airbus includes a swap with 15 A320neo and 2 A350-900 passenger aircraft in the SIA Group's order book.

This, SIA said, will allow the company to manage its capital expenditure while continuing with its essential freighter renewal programme.

On the GE9X order, SIA's senior vice-president, engineering, Lau Hwa Peng said that the "cutting-edge technologies" of the GE9X engine and Boeing 777-9 aircraft will help SIA to increase operating efficiencies, lower fuel burn and materially reduce its carbon emissions.

"This will reinforce SIA's position as a leading global airline, and enable us to capture future growth opportunities," he added.

GE9X program general manager Mike Hoffmeister said the company is proud to continue its relationship with SIA, its longstanding customer.

Shares of SIA ended Wednesday at S$5.33, up 1.1 per cent or S$0.06.