STARLUX airlines has taken delivery of its first widebody aircraft.

The Airbus 330neo, which is powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine, is scheduled to enter service in May.

Three more A33neos will be added to the Taiwanese airline’s fleet this year, flying to routes to major cities within the Asia-Pacific region including Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Bangkok and Tokyo.

STARLUX Airlines’ founder and chairman K W Chang said: “The efficiency of the A330neo is outstanding by bringing together enhanced technologies and highly efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.

“I am delighted to welcome our first A330neo, as it marks a key milestone in our growth. With the addition of the A330neo, STARLUX can deploy our fleet more flexibly and provide our service to more passengers over regional routes.”

Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace’s chief customer officer Ewen McDonald added: “We are proud to power STARLUX’s first widebody aircraft, the Trent 7000 powered A330neo. We appreciate the trust STARLUX has placed in us and are committed to supporting them in operating this excellent aircraft, to bring sustainability, efficiency, and connectivity across their network.”

The Trent 7000, the latest engine in the Trent family, is the exclusive engine for the A330neo, clocking up more than 150 million engine flying hours during its 26 years of operation.