Rolls and BA complete $5bn engine deal

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Rolls-Royce and British Airways have completed contracts for Trent 900 and Trent 1000 engines to power up to 61 new wide-body aircraft – providing a confidence boost for the global power systems company, being the first big Trent 900 contract since the R-R engine blowout on a Qantas Airbus A380 superjumbo near Singapore in November.

The order, originally announced in September 2007 and worth in excess of $5 billion (£3.2bn) at list prices if all options are exercised, is for Trent 900 engines to power 12 Airbus A380 aircraft, with a potential additional seven options, and Trent 1000 engines to power 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with 18 options. The contracts include TotalCare long-term support agreements. British Airways CEO Willie Walsh said: "We are delighted to have concluded these contracts, which position British Airways strongly for the future. We have had a long and positive relationship with Rolls-Royce, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future. We believe the support of the Rolls-Royce TotalCare package will significantly benefit British Airways operations." Sir John Rose, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce, said: "We welcome the conclusion of these contracts with a valued customer. We are pleased that British Airways continues to put its trust in our world class Trent engine technology and service provision." British Airways is one of nine customers that have selected the Trent 900 for the Airbus A380. The Trent 1000 has been selected to power the first Boeing 787 to enter service with Japanese airline All Nippon Airlines and has already powered over 2,000 hours of aircraft test flights.