Rolls-Royce wins $1.8bn contract from Air China

Rolls-Royce has won a $1.8bn (£1.1bn) order from Air China to supply and service 20 aircraft engines.

Earlier this month Rolls, hit by safety concerns after one of its engines exploded in mid-air, won a $1.2bn contract from China Eastern Airlines.

In the latest deal Rolls will supply engines for Airbus A350s and A330s.

The Chinese carrier expects to take delivery of the A330 planes from 2013 to 2015 and the A350 planes from 2018 to 2020.

Steve Miller, Rolls-Royce's civil aerospace vice president, said "we are very proud that Air China has again put their trust in us" with another contract.

The UK company has been battling to allay concerns about its Trent 900 engine, one of which exploded during a Qantas flight, forcing the Australian airline to ground its fleet of A380 jets.

Rolls-Royce says it has isolated the cause of the engine problem and is fixing the engines.

Almost two weeks ago Rolls-Royce, during a trade mission led by Prime Minister David Cameron, announced an order from fast-growing China Eastern Airlines.