GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) and Qatar Airways today announced a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership with the signing of multiple deals for new GE9X and GEnx engines during U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s visit to Doha. As part of the visit, Qatar Airways has signed an agreement for more than 400 engines, including 60 GE9X and 260 GEnx engines, with additional options and spares, to power its next-generation Boeing 777-9 and Boeing 787 aircraft – the largest widebody engine purchase in the history of GE Aerospace.
The new agreements solidify GE Aerospace’s commitment to Qatar’s thriving aviation industry and build on the previous order for 188 GE9X engines, bringing the total to 248 engines. The addition of GEnx engines for the Boeing 787 fleet supplements their existing 124 engine order, further strengthening the national carrier’s commitment to efficiency and performance. The two deals also include service agreements to cover the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of the GEnx and GE9X engines.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “Our latest agreement with GE Aerospace reflects our confidence in the performance of the GE9X and GEnx engines to power our fleet of Boeing 777-9 and 787 aircraft. These next-generation engines are critical components in our strategy to ensure our fleet remains modern and efficient. Qatar Airways has ambitious plans for the future, and we value our continued partnership with GE Aerospace and their commitment to supporting our operational needs.”
GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. said, “We are extremely honored to deepen our relationship with Qatar Airways and grateful to them for placing their trust in us with our largest ever widebody engine deal. Our widebody engines – the GE9X and GEnx – are marvels of modern engineering, with the durability and reliability to power flight across the longest distances. We appreciate President Trump’s support for this historic agreement.”
The GE9X engine is the world’s most powerful commercial aircraft engine and the most fuel-efficient engine in its class. Available only on the Boeing 777X family of 777-9 and 777-8 aircraft, the GE9X offers 10% better specific fuel consumption than its predecessor, the GE90-115B, with emissions that are a generation ahead in technology.
Since its introduction in 2011, the GEnx engine family has accumulated over 62 million flight hours. It stands as GE Aerospace’s fastest-selling, high-thrust engine to date, with more than 3,600 engines currently in service and backlog, including spare units. Today, the GEnx engine powers two-thirds of all 787 aircraft currently in operation.
Like all GE Aerospace commercial engines, both GE9X and GEnx engines are certified to run on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blends today.
GE Aerospace’s strong partnership with Qatar Airways also extends to providing comprehensive On Wing Support to ensure optimal engine performance and minimize downtime. At the On Wing Support Center in Qatar, GE Aerospace also trains aviation professionals, developing local talent to build a skilled workforce to support the region’s aviation ambitions.
