China Eastern picks R-R for Trent 700 engine support

China Eastern has signed for Rolls-Royce’s engine support package for its Trent 700 engines, which power its Airbus A330 fleet.

The five-year TotalCare Life agreement, signed during the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, will cover 10 A330s, say both companies.

Under the contract, the Shanghai-based carrier will be able to access R-R’s aftermarket services and operational support.

R-R states: “It will ensure an overall life cycle cost-efficiency for the airline’s A330 fleet and maintain a high level of flexibility to better manage their assets in the future,”

According to Cirium fleets data, China Eastern has a fleet of over 50 A330s – comprising -200s and -300s – all of which are Trent 700-powered. The turbofan also powers over 90% of Mainland Chinese operators’ A330 fleet.

“The Airbus A330 and Rolls-Royce Trent 700 combination helps us maintain a good and stable operation. This extended TotalCare agreement will ensure the best engine availability of our Trent 700 and less aircraft on-ground time, improve operation efficiency and reduce cost, while providing unparalleled experience to passengers onboard,” says China Eastern Technics chief Shaokun Song.