Frontier Airlines Names Plane in Honor of Sustainable Aviation Pioneer Maria Della Posta
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Frontier Airlines has announced a new addition to its animal tail menagerie. The airline's second Airbus A321neo, powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, will carry the moniker 'Maria the Bald Eagle.'
The aircraft, with its tail featuring a bald eagle livery, was named in honor of Maria Della Posta, the president of Pratt & Whitney Canada and a recognized leader in sustainable aviation. In a statement, Ms. Della Posta said,
“Frontier and Pratt & Whitney share a common mission towards evermore sustainable aviation. At Pratt & Whitney, we seek not just to be the best engine supplier in the world, but also the best for the world. I’m honored to represent the people of Pratt & Whitney, and I’d like to thank them and the thousands of Frontier employees who are doing their part to move aviation toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
A long partnership
The relationship between Frontier Airlines and Pratt & Whitney dates back to 1994, when the current company was formed. At that time, Frontier launched operations with a Boeing 737-200 aircraft powered by a Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine.
Frontier has continued its relationship with Pratt & Whitney by selecting the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power its entire Airbus A320neo family. In fact, Frontier’s first A321neo was named “Frederick the Bald Eagle” in honor of Frederick B. Rentschler, the founder of Pratt & Whitney.
Barry Biffle, president and CEO of Frontier Airlines, said,
“As America’s Greenest Airline, these revolutionary engines are helping us to achieve our very important sustainability goals. We also commend Pratt & Whitney employees for honoring a groundbreaking female leader through their aircraft naming choice and for recognizing the importance of shining a light on women trailblazers in aviation.”
Who is Maria Della Posta?
In 2019, Pratt & Whitney made history when it appointed Maria Della Posta to the position of President of Pratt & Whitney Canada. She is the first woman to head a Pratt & Whitney business unit.
A company veteran, Maria joined Pratt & Whitney in 1985 and has held leadership roles in a variety of areas, including supply chain management, finance, and customer service. In 2001, she was named vice president of customer support and, by 2010, had progressed to become senior vice president of sales and marketing. In 2012, she was made senior vice president of Pratt & Whitney Canada, where she focused on transforming Pratt & Whitney’s business model, promoting a customer-centric culture and encouraging concentration on sustainability.
In 2019, she reached the pinnacle of success within the organization when she was named President of Pratt & Whitney Canada. Directing a workforce of more than 10,000 employees worldwide, she is now responsible for all global operations, including engineering, customer service, sales, marketing, and business development. She also oversees the global aftermarket network, which supports an extensive portfolio of almost 65,000 engines in service and more than 13,000 customers.
She is focused on launching products and services that drive growth and deliver exceptional customer service across all company segments, including general and business aviation, regional turboprop, helicopter, and auxiliary power unit markets. Maria is moving Pratt & Whitney towards a more sustainable future in world-class aviation fuels and alternative technologies in aircraft propulsion, such as hybrid electric.
Beyond Pratt & Whitney, the accomplished Ms. Della Posta is recognized as a champion of inclusion and leadership development in the industry and community and is considered an inspiring role model for young women wanting to pursue careers in the aerospace industry. In 2013, she became the first woman to become the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aéro Montréal, an aerospace think-tank based in Quebec.
Ms. Della Posta holds both a bachelor of commerce and a master of business administration degree from Montreal’s prestigious McGill University.
