Emirates Airline has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rolls-Royce to establish a Trent 900 engine overhaul line in Dubai by 2027, extending the parties’ TotalCare support package into the 2040s. The agreement will allow the world’s largest A380 operator to perform heavy maintenance locally instead of sending engines to the UK or Germany, cutting turnaround times and boosting fleet availability.
The move signals Emirates’ determination to keep the double-deck super-jumbo in service well into the next decade, despite Airbus ending production in 2021. For corporate travel programmes, continued A380 deployment on high-volume routes such as London, Sydney and New York ensures popular cabin products—shower suites, onboard lounges and spacious economy seating—remain available to premium travellers.
![Emirates to Bring A380 Engine Overhaul In-House Under Rolls-Royce Deal]()
Dubai’s emergence as a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub supports the emirate’s “Make it in the Emirates” industrial strategy and could create up to 600 skilled jobs. Supply-chain analysts note that local MRO capacity will reduce ferry-flight emissions and provide faster recovery from unscheduled engine removals.
Rolls-Royce will deliver technical-training programmes for UAE nationals under the deal, dovetailing with the country’s Emiratisation targets. Government stakeholders have hinted that the new facility may later service Trent XWB engines powering Emirates’ incoming A350 fleet, further anchoring high-value aviation jobs in the UAE.
Travel buyers should expect improved schedule reliability on A380 routes once the facility is operational, but no immediate changes to inventory or fares are anticipated.
The move signals Emirates’ determination to keep the double-deck super-jumbo in service well into the next decade, despite Airbus ending production in 2021. For corporate travel programmes, continued A380 deployment on high-volume routes such as London, Sydney and New York ensures popular cabin products—shower suites, onboard lounges and spacious economy seating—remain available to premium travellers.
Dubai’s emergence as a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub supports the emirate’s “Make it in the Emirates” industrial strategy and could create up to 600 skilled jobs. Supply-chain analysts note that local MRO capacity will reduce ferry-flight emissions and provide faster recovery from unscheduled engine removals.
Rolls-Royce will deliver technical-training programmes for UAE nationals under the deal, dovetailing with the country’s Emiratisation targets. Government stakeholders have hinted that the new facility may later service Trent XWB engines powering Emirates’ incoming A350 fleet, further anchoring high-value aviation jobs in the UAE.
Travel buyers should expect improved schedule reliability on A380 routes once the facility is operational, but no immediate changes to inventory or fares are anticipated.
