Virgin Atlantic Airways to Further Reduce Carbon Footprint with Pratt & Whitney's EcoPower® Engine Wash

PARIS, June 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PARIS AIR SHOW -- Virgin Atlantic Airways has agreed to extend its contract for Pratt & Whitney's environmentally friendly EcoPower® engine wash service through 2011. The washes will continue to be performed by Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners at London Gatwick Airport. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

"We have seen a noticeable improvement in fuel burn and CO2 emissions throughout our Boeing 747 fleet since beginning to use Pratt & Whitney's EcoPower engine wash service four years ago," said Phil Maher, Virgin Atlantic Engineering director. "We are pleased to extend our agreement with Pratt & Whitney to continue to realize these benefits."

"Pratt & Whitney is delighted to continue to partner with Virgin Atlantic Airways to provide EcoPower engine wash services for its Boeing 747 fleet," said Lou Quattrocchi, Pratt & Whitney Product Line Management vice president. "This contract extension is further testament to the service's tangible benefits."

Virgin Atlantic Airways, one of the world's leading long-haul airlines, was founded in 1984, and currently has 40 aircraft in its fleet. Virgin Atlantic offers service from nine U.S. cities to London and onto a range of long-haul destinations worldwide. From its main base at London Heathrow and Gatwick, Virgin Atlantic services destinations as far apart as Las Vegas, Tokyo, Delhi, Boston and Shanghai. Pioneering many air travel innovations, Virgin Atlantic received a number of 2010 travel trade awards including for the third consecutive year, Travel Weekly's "Best International Airline," Global Traveler's "Best Airline for Premium Economy Class," Business Traveler's "Best Premium Economy Class in the World" and for the first time, "Best Airport Clubs/Lounges." For additional information, visit www.virginatlantic.com.

Pratt & Whitney's patented EcoPower engine wash system reduces fuel burn by as much as 1.2 percent, eliminating approximately three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for every pound of fuel saved, while also decreasing engine gas temperature, increasing the amount of time an engine can stay on wing. Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries. Please visit www.utcaero.com for news from Pratt & Whitney and United Technologies at the Paris Air Show 2011.

EcoPower is a registered trademark of United Technologies Corp.

Learn more at www.pw.utc.com/oemro

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SOURCE Pratt & Whitney