Air Austral has chosen Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power Austral’s two Airbus A380 aircraft and has entered into a ten-year fleet management agreement to maintain, repair and overhaul the engines.

The total value of the contract is estimated to be worth $240m at list prices.

The Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies.

The GP7200 is based on two wide-body engine programmes, the GE90 and the PW4000.

It can produce more than 81,500lb (363kN) of thrust and is the quietest, most fuel-efficient engine for the A380 with emissions below existing and anticipated regulations, Pratt & Whitney said.