20-Year Deals With Northwest Largest Ever For P&W

When all is said and done, an airline is only as good as the engines on its planes... after all, without those operating in peak condition, no one's going anywhere! With that in mind, this week Northwest Airlines awarded Pratt & Whitney two, 20-year Global Service Partners service agreements to maintain Northwest's fleet of PW2000 and PW4168A engines.

While exact terms were not disclosed, representatives with P&W confirmed to ANN the service agreements are the largest ever awarded to the enginemaker.

"During a review of our maintenance cost model, we found that having a single-source maintenance provider for our PW2000 and PW4000 engines would significantly reduce our engine maintenance costs," said Andrew Roberts, Northwest Airlines executive vice president of operations. "Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners presented the most comprehensive solution for our engine maintenance needs while meeting our cost reduction targets. We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with Pratt & Whitney."

The Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners service agreements for Northwest's fleet of PW2000-powered 757s and PW4168-powered A330s, include: engine overhaul, part repair, materials management, on-wing engine diagnostics, lease engine support, environmentally-friendly EcoPower on-wing water washes, as well as engine upgrades that add fuel efficiency and durability while lowering maintenance cost.

"We appreciate Northwest Airlines' continued confidence in the quality and competitiveness of our products and services," said Steve Finger, Pratt & Whitney president. "Pratt & Whitney's relationship with NWA began in 1926 when we powered their first aircraft. Our 80-year partnership with Northwest illustrates our continued commitment to delivering engine solutions that contribute to the success of our customers."

"We are delighted that Northwest Airlines, a recognized market leader, has chosen Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners to deliver world-class engine services," said Jim Keenan, senior vice president and general manager, Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners. "This long-term maintenance partnership strengthens Pratt & Whitney's position as a unique OEMRO engine services provider."

OEMRO represents Pratt & Whitney's commitment to unmatched capability and excellence as both an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider.

FMI: www.pw.utc.com, www.nwa.com