MEA signs $300 million
deal with Rolls-Royce

British company will provide

support for Airbus aircraft engines

Middle East Airlines (MEA), the national flag carrier, has signed a $300 million contract with British motor-maker Rolls-Royce, for the installation of Trent 7000 engines in four new Airbus aircraft, expected to be delivered in two years.

In addition to the cost of the engines, the contract covers maintenance throughout its service life with MEA, the purchase of spare engines, and the supply of parts, according to a MEA statement.

MEA Chairman Mohamad El-Hout and Rolls-Royce Chairman Ian Davis signed the contract during the Lebanon-UK Business and Investment Forum in London.

The Trent 7000 is Rolls-Royce’s latest iteration in its Trent family of engines. The company will supply the engine with its TotalCare support service.

“We are committed to ensuring our airline is at the leading-edge in terms of using technology,” El-Hout said.

Rolls-Royce’s long-term TotalCare service is expected to optimize MEA’s maintenance costs.

The Trent 7000 will improve specific fuel consumption by ten percent compared to the Trent 700 while significantly reducing noise.

MEA announced the purchase of the four new Airbus A330-900neo aircraft in late 2016. Delivery was supposed to start in 2019, but MEA requested the delivery to be postponed until 2021.