AirTran Airways Signs Exclusive EcoPower Engine Wash Agreement

Released on Wednesday, July 16, 2008

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW, July 16, 2008 � JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc., a designated service provider of Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners EcoPower® engine wash services, signed an exclusive agreement with AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings (NYSE: AAI). Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

Under the agreement, AirTran will use EcoPower® engine wash services on its fleet of 143 aircraft, which consists of Boeing 737-700s and 717-200s. AirTran is a low-fare airline offering business class, new planes with XM Satellite Radio, assigned seats and one of the world's youngest all-Boeing fleets.

"With today's rising fuel costs, we see EcoPower® engine wash, and this agreement with JET Aircraft Maintenance, as a key step to improving our operating costs," said AirTran Vice President of Maintenance and Engineering Kirk Thornburg. "Over time, we expect this agreement to save AirTran about a million gallons of fuel annually, which leads right to savings at the bottom line."

In December, Pratt & Whitney established a five-year agreement with JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc. of Miami, Fla. The agreement authorizes JET to be the exclusive provider of the patented EcoPower® on-wing jet engine wash service at five airports in South Florida, with a capacity to wash as many as 1,000 engines per year.

Pratt & Whitney's EcoPower® engine wash service is the best in the industry," said Miguel A. Villacorta, president and CEO, JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc. "As a leading line maintenance provider in the United States, we are pleased to offer this effective, environmentally friendly service to AirTran."

EcoPower® washes reduce engine fuel burn by as much as 1.2 percent, eliminate three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for every pound of fuel saved, and decrease exhaust gas temperature by as much as 15 degrees Celsius, improving performance and increasing the amount of time an engine can stay on wing.

The EcoPower® service uses a closed-loop system with pure, atomized water to wash aircraft engines, thus avoiding potential contaminant runoff. The system is more effective and much faster than traditional engine washing processes. Issued patents and applications cover various aspects of EcoPower® engine wash services in several countries relating to features such as water atomization, the closed-loop system, effluent collection process and purification techniques.

"We're pleased to have JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc., as one of our strategic maintenance partners," said Jim Keenan, senior vice president & general manager, Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners. "With key hubs in these popular South Florida markets, JET extends Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners' ability to reach domestic airlines and European and Latin/South American carriers with our industry leading engine wash service."

Through its franchise agreement, JET operates EcoPower® service centers at Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), Tampa International Airport (TPA), and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).