Airline Fiji Airways has become the first operator in the South Pacific region to take delivery of a new jet powered by Derby’s Rolls-Royce.
At a ceremony held at the European headquarters of Airbus, in Toulouse, France, the airline received its first Airbus A350 XWB, an aircraft exclusively powered by Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB engines.
The Trent XWB is designed, developed and manufactured at the firm’s civil aerospace division in Sinfin.
Fiji Airways will operate two A350 XWBs, leased from Dubai-based DAE Capital, which has purchased the aircraft directly from Airbus.
The airline plans to operate the new aircraft on its Nadi to Los Angeles and Nadi to Sydney routes, helping to boost Fiji’s tourism sector and the wider economy.
Its new jets are configured in a two-class layout with 334 seats, including 33 full flat business and 301 economy class seats.
In a statement Airbus said: “The A350 XWB offers by design unrivalled operational flexibility and efficiency for all market segments up to ultra-long haul.
“It features the latest aerodynamic design, a carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines.
“Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25% reduction in fuel burn and emissions.”
To date, the A350 XWB has amassed more than 900 firm orders from 50 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever.
