Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, today congratulated German flag-carrier Lufthansa on the delivery of its first Airbus A380 aircraft.

The aircraft is the first of 15 that Lufthansa has ordered – all powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines.

The engine, chosen by nine of 14 operators that have selected the A380, is designed to minimise environmental impact. Advances in fan design and combustor efficiency have cut fuel consumption, NOx and CO2 by more than 10 per cent compared with less powerful engines in service 20 years ago.

The Trent 900 also allows the A380 to carry three times more passengers than widebody aircraft of 20 years ago, with half of the noise footprint.

Mark King, Rolls-Royce President – Civil Aerospace, said: "We are proud to provide our Trent technology to Lufthansa's A380 fleet and congratulate both the airline and Airbus on today's delivery milestone. Today we have more than 150 Trent engines in the Lufthansa fleet and look forward to supporting the airline as it continues to improve its service with the introduction of A380 aircraft."

The relationship between Rolls-Royce and Lufthansa dates back more than 80 years to the days of the Rolls-Royce Eagle engine. The N3 Engine Overhaul Services joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Lufthansa Technik continues this successful partnership. Opened in 2007 in Arnstadt, Germany, it services Rolls-Royce Trent engines that power the Airbus A330, A340 and A380 aircraft.