Rolls-Royce, a global leader in the supply of business aviation engines, announced on Wednesday that it has entered into long-term TotalCare service agreements with Taiwan-based China Airlines. The carrier will use these agreements to power its expanding Airbus A350 fleet with 36 Trent XWB engines.

In a statement released on February 04, Rolls-Royce said the agreements cover 30 Trent XWB-97 engines for 15 A350-1000 aircraft and six Trent XWB-84 engines for three A350-900s. Airbus previously announced the A350-1000 aircraft order in 2025.

Under the deal, China Airlines will continue to use Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare service, which provides comprehensive engine health monitoring and maintenance support by transferring maintenance cost and operational risk back to the engine manufacturer.

China Airlines currently operates 15 A350 aircraft powered by Trent XWB engines. The newly announced aircraft will expand the airline's total A350 fleet to 33 jets, bolstering its long-haul operations.

“We’re delighted to deepen our partnership with China Airlines through this TotalCare agreement,” said Ewen McDonald, chief customer officer for civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce. He said the Trent XWB engine family offers “exceptional fuel efficiency, reliability, and durability,” adding that the Trent XWB-97 is the most utilised widebody engine currently in service.

The Trent XWB-97 has accumulated more than four million flying hours over seven years of operations. Rolls-Royce said the engine has already completed two of three planned durability upgrade phases, delivering a 60 percent increase in time on wing. A third enhancement phase, scheduled to enter service in 2028, is expected to double time on wing in demanding operating environments and improve performance by 50 percent in less challenging conditions.

TotalCare, Rolls-Royce’s flagship aftermarket service, is designed to improve engine availability and reliability for airlines while providing cost certainty over the life of the engine, supported by advanced digital monitoring systems.

Industry analysts say the agreement reinforces Rolls-Royce’s strong position in the widebody engine market and supports China Airlines’ fleet modernisation plans as global long-haul travel demand continues to recover and grow.

Source: Rolls-Royce Press Release