The A330 may be a key driver of profit and cash generation for Rolls-Royce' civil aerospace segment, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence report.
“The Airbus A330 continues to return to service, with 11% of the ceo fleet parked as of February [2025] versus 14% in May 2024 and 26% in August 2023,” analysts George Ferguson and Melissa Balzano said in the report. “This has been accelerated by Asia's reopening.”
Rolls-Royce powers around 66% of the ceo in-service fleet. A large number A330s were parked as long-haul travel and larger aircraft suffered during the pandemic, particularly in Asia. With international travel continuing to improve and Asia capacity reaching 2019 levels, the A330 will benefit from greater use in the form of boosted billings under hourly maintenance contracts or shops visits.
The A330 is Rolls-Royce's largest in-service fleet, powered by the Trent 700 engine. In addition, the aircraft has more elevated stored-aircraft rates, which the analysts said had reduced high-margin maintenance work.
The analysts said the Trent 700 is the top driver of maintenance revenue to Rolls-Royce.
“The programme will likely be eclipsed in coming years by the XWB, the engine for the successful Airbus A350, yet Trent 700 use will be instrumental in improving cash flow, especially as the Trent 500, 800 and 900 series fade amid aircraft retirements,” the analysts said.
Furthermore, the analysts said scheduling data reveals that A330 recovery may be better than what storage data suggests, boosting aftermarket revenue for Rolls-Royce.