United Airlines and Rolls-Royce in $175 million dispute

A conflict is escalating between one of the world's largest airlines, United Airlines, and British aviation engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby harshly criticized Rolls-Royce, stating that the company secures orders not due to product quality, but because of a lack of competition. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .

At the International Air Transport Association (IATA AGM 2026) annual conference in Rio de Janeiro, Kirby addressed the situation surrounding the Airbus A350. Currently, all aircraft in this family are equipped exclusively with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, which deprives airlines of the ability to choose another supplier. According to Kirby, such dependency poses a serious risk to carriers.

Behind these sharp statements lies a multi-million dollar financial dispute. Several years ago, United Airlines decided to cancel previously ordered Airbus A350-900 aircraft and expand its Boeing 787 fleet. Following this, the airline demanded a refund of the $175 million advance paid for the engines.

United Airlines claims that the British company failed to fulfill its contractual obligations. Rolls-Royce disagrees and has filed a counterclaim in court, demanding the fulfillment of the agreement and compensation for damages. The outcome of this trial is expected to be significant for the entire aviation industry.

It is worth noting that Trent XWB engines have faced criticism before. Specifically, Emirates President Tim Clark stated that the durability of these engines is low in the sandy and dusty climate of the Middle East, announcing that he would not purchase Airbus A350-1000 aircraft until Rolls-Royce resolves the issue.