PAL seals Rolls-Royce engine deal for new Airbus A350-1000 fleet

Insider Spotlight

• The Trent XWB-97 is the exclusive engine for the Airbus A350-1000.
• PAL also signed a long-term TotalCare maintenance agreement for the new engines.
• The new A350-1000s are scheduled for delivery between 2034 and 2036.

Taipan Lucio Tan's Philippine Airlines has signed an agreement with Rolls-Royce for the engines that will power the nine additional Airbus A350-1000 aircraft it ordered this week, completing another key piece of the airline’s long-haul fleet expansion.

The Trent XWB-97 is the exclusive engine for the Airbus A350-1000, making the agreement a necessary companion to PAL’s latest Airbus aircraft order.

The agreement covers 18 Trent XWB-97 engines for the nine aircraft, as well as engines for up to five additional A350-1000s covered by PAL’s purchase rights, the flag carrier said in a statement on Tuesday. 

PAL also signed a Rolls-Royce TotalCare agreement, which provides engine health monitoring and long-term maintenance support designed to maximize aircraft availability while giving the airline greater certainty over maintenance planning and costs.

Management’s view

“This investment manifests our confidence in the future of Philippine Airlines. Together, the Airbus A350-1000 and the Trent XWB-97 engine will continue to define our flagship long-haul operations for many years to come,” said PAL Holdings president and chief operating officer Lucio C. Tan III.

“We are proud to continue strengthening our long-standing relationship with Philippine Airlines. The Trent XWB-97 is an exceptional engine, renowned for its proven reliability and efficiency, making it our best-selling engine over the past 18 months," said Rob Watson, president of Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce.

Key details

• PAL said the TotalCare agreement will help maximize aircraft availability while making long-term engine maintenance costs more predictable.
• The nine additional Airbus A350-1000 aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2034 and 2036.
• The Trent XWB-97 is designed to deliver high fuel efficiency, reliability and lower emissions on long-haul flights.
• Rolls-Royce said the agreement further strengthens its long-standing partnership with Philippine Airlines.
• The company said the engine package will support PAL’s continued expansion of its Airbus A350-1000 fleet.

Big picture

Taken together, PAL’s Farnborough announcements include commitments for up to 15 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, nine Airbus A350-1000 aircraft with purchase rights for five more, and the Rolls-Royce engines and long-term maintenance support that will keep the new Airbus fleet in service.

—Edited by Miguel R. Camus