Kingfisher places $1 billion twin Trent order for Airbus fleet

India’s Kingfisher Airlines has ordered two versions of the Rolls-Royce Trent to power 25 new Airbus widebody airliners. The value of the engine business at list prices is $1 billion.

The order, announced at the Paris Air Show, consists of 20 firm A350 XWB-800 twinjets, which are offered with the Trent XWB, and five A340-500s, for which the Trent 500 is the sole engine.

Dr. Vijay Mallya, Chairman and Managing Director of Kingfisher, said: “I’m delighted that Rolls-Royce is playing an expanded role in our growth plans. The Trent series has won a deserved reputation for combining effective new technologies with excellent operating economics. This marriage of the newest products from Airbus and Rolls-Royce will ensure we continue to provide the world class levels of service our customers expect.”

Mark King, Chief Commercial Officer – Civil Large Engines, at Rolls-Royce, added: “Kingfisher has a clear vision of its role in the country’s booming aviation industry and is setting the highest standards for its fleet, demonstrated last year when it became the first Indian airline to order Trent engines. We’re proud of this growing relationship, which offers Rolls-Royce a great opportunity to help Kingfisher realise its ambitions.”

The Trent XWB is the sixth and latest member of the market-leading Trent series and will be available for the A350 XWB’s planned entry into service in 2013. A single version, designed to deliver a range of thrusts from 75,000 – 95,000lb, is capable of powering all variants of the aircraft.

Kingfisher placed an order for an original batch of five ultra-long-haul A340-500s last year. These aircraft will begin entering service in early 2008, while the A340s in today’s announcement will be delivered in 2009 and 2010.

Mumbai-based Kingfisher will use the A340s on its routes to the United States.

Kingfisher’s fleet also includes A320 series aircraft for which it selected the V2500 engine produced by the International Aero Engines consortium, in which Rolls-Royce is a leading shareholder.