Rolls-Royce lands huge aero engine order from major US airline

Rolls-Royce has welcomed a huge order for its aero engines from a major US airline.

Delta Air Lines, which is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has placed an order for 30 Trent XWB-84 EP engines and 32 Trent 7000 engines that will power 15 Airbus A350-900 and 16 Airbus A330neo widebody aircraft respectively.

The fleet will be covered by Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare service that will cover the health and maintenance of the engines.

Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace site, in Derby, is home to the Trent family of engines.

Rob Watson, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, said: “Rolls-Royce is proud to have Delta Air Lines as our largest partner in the Americas, and we look forward to continuing to grow the fleet with their selection of more A330-900neos powered by the Trent 7000 and A350-900s powered by the Trent XWB-84 EP – all supported by our unparalleled TotalCare services offering.

“This reorder underpins our combined commitment to reliability, durability, and customer success.”

Delta Air Lines’ existing fleet includes 40 Trent XWB-84 powered A350-900, 39 Trent 7000 powered A330neo and 80 BR715 powered Boeing 717.

There are also currently 20 Trent XWB-97 powered A350-1000 on order and four Trent XWB-84 powered A350-900 aircraft to be delivered.

The Trent XWB-84 engine can efficiently power short-haul or long-haul flights, which makes it the ideal solution for airlines.

The Trent 7000 has flown more than four million hours, including one million at Delta Air Lines, delivering reliability, sustainable performance and proven versatility.

John Laughter, executive vice-president, chief of operations and president of Delta TechOps, said: “The Trent XWB-84 has been a highly reliable engine in our fleet, powering millions of journeys on Delta Air Lines aircraft.

“The improved fuel burn and class-leading durability of the Trent XWB-84 EP have been important factors in our decision to grow our long-haul network with the A350-900.

“The efficiency of the Trent 7000 – along with product improvements made by Rolls-Royce – offers a step  change in fuel efficiency versus prior aircraft generations.

“We are excited to serve more customers with this dependable and sustainable aircraft and engine combination.”