Rolls-Royce posts half-year loss owing to inspections and repairs to Trent engines

Problems with Trent 900 and 1000 engines have forced the company to carry out inspections and repairs and to redesign some parts, causing customers to ground aircraft, cancel flights and lease other planes, which Rolls-Royce said will cost around £450m this year, declining by at least £100m in 2020. The company has taken a £554m exceptional charge covering “that part of the total estimated cost for the period to 2022 that is considered to be abnormal in nature.”

Trent 1000 is a particularly significant product for Rolls-Royce, as it powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Despite this setback, other parts of the business have shown strong growth, and Rolls-Royce said it expected to make underlying operating profits of between £400m and £500m this year – at the upper end of its forecasts.

Chief executive Warren East apologised for disruption caused by the Trent problems. “The Trent 1000 in-service engine issues have caused significant disruption for a number of our customers, which we sincerely regret,” he said. The problems relate to intermediate compressor rotor blades. The company has now started certification testing of a redesigned blade for one group of engines, and will similarly redesign the component for another group subsequently. All technical changes likely to be embodied in the Trent 1000 and 900 fleets by 2022.