KUALA LUMPUR – National carrier Malaysia Airlines has signed a 680 million dollar deal with Pratt & Whitney to provide 34 engines for 17 of its new Airbus aircraft, the company said Monday.

The engines will power 15 passenger and two freight planes out of 25 A330-300 passenger and four A330-200F freight aircraft ordered by MAS from Europe’s Airbus for 4.50 billion dollars, which includes the cost of the engines.

“We are confident that we will enjoy even better engine performance and that Pratt & Whitney will continue to deliver the same level of support with the PW4170 engines,” the airline’s chief executive officer, Azmil Zahruddin, said in a statement.

Airline officials said the new A330 aircraft, to be delivered from 2011 to 2015, would serve markets in South Asia, China, North Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

The airline says its current fleet of nine A330-300s and three A330-200s are equipped with PW4168 engines, while its ten B747-400 aircraft and two B747-400F freight planes are powered by PW4056 engines.

The airline has also ordered up to 55 Boeing B737-800s aircraft and six Airbus A380 superjumbos.

Last month, the government said it would not cancel its order for the A380s despite delivery delays.

The giant planes were initially to be delivered from January 2007, but this was first pushed back to late 2011 before the latest delay to 2012.

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Airline officials said the new A330 aircraft, to be delivered from 2011 to 2015, would serve markets in South Asia, China, North Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
The engines will power 15 passenger and two freight planes out of 25 A330-300 passenger and four A330-200F freight aircraft ordered by MAS from Europe’s Airbus for 4.
The airline says its current fleet of nine A330-300s and three A330-200s are equipped with PW4168 engines, while its ten B747-400 aircraft and two B747-400F freight planes are powered by PW4056 engines.