Rolls-Royce faces legal action after engine explosion
Airline giant Qantas said that it will launch preliminary legal action against Derby-based Rolls-Royce, one of the engines in its A380 superjumbos exploded in mid-air last month. The news came as Rolls-Royce signed a contract with Hawaiian Airlines worth $420m.
Quantas said that it has filed “a statement of claim” to allow it to begin legal proceedings against Rolls-Royce. The company said that compensation will be sought after the engine manufactured by Rolls-Royce fell apart during a flight on 4 November.
The legal action was launched as Rolls Royce announced one of its largest contract wins this year. The company signed a contract to supply Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 aircraft with six of its engines.
The order includes a TotalCare long-term services agreement.
Hawaiian Airlines already has ten Trent 700-powered A330s in service or on order from Rolls-Royce. The airline took delivery of its first Trent 700-powered A330 in May this year.
Chris Cyr, Rolls-Royce executive vice president customer business - Americas, said: "Hawaiian Airlines is a valued customer and we are pleased that they have again put their trust in our leading edge technology and support services. This contract underscores the market leading position of the Trent 700, the only engine designed specifically for the A330."
