PAL orders Rolls-Royce engines

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Airlines (PAL) continued its buying spree at the Farnborough International Airshow, signing a deal with Rolls-Royce to supply the engines for up to 15 new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, a day after announcing its first Boeing order since 2007.

The flag carrier, led by tycoon Lucio Tan, signed an agreement on the purchase—consisting of nine firm orders and purchase rights for five more—to support its long-haul expansion.

READ: PAL orders up to 20 Boeing 787-10s to expand fleet

The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the exclusive engine option for the A350-1000.

Having placed firm orders for nine aircraft, PAL has also ordered 18 Trent XWB-97 engines. Each engine is capable of producing up to 97,000 pounds of thrust.

“This investment manifests our confidence in the future of Philippine Airlines,” PAL president and COO Lucio Tan III said in a statement. “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.”

Alongside the engine order, PAL also signed a service agreement with Rolls-Royce covering maintenance and operational support.

READ: PAL buying up to 14 more A350-1000s

“This order will enable Philippine Airlines to maximize their operational performance as they continue expanding their A350-1000 fleet,” said Rob Watson, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce.

If PAL exercises all of its purchase rights, its A350-1000 fleet would grow to 23 aircraft, building on an earlier order for nine jets placed in 2023. The airline has already taken delivery of two A350-1000s, which it deploys on nonstop flights from Manila to Toronto and New York. INQ