Hainan Airlines Group yesterday confirmed that Rolls-Royce Trent 700s will power an additional two leased Airbus A330s in a deal potentially worth around $100 million (£52.6 million), including an option to cover the engines with a long-term services agreement.

The Chinese carrier said the new deal covers two aircraft which will be leased from CIT Aerospace, a division of CIT Group. It is in addition to Hainan's selection of the Trent 700 to power a further five leased A330s, announced last month.

Wang Jian, vice-chairman of Hainan Airlines Group, said: "Our Trent-powered A330s will form the backbone of our network expansion. Reliability is crucial to growing our market share and the Trent 700 is proven to have the best performance levels for this aircraft, which is verified by its market leading position on the A330."

Mick Forey, senior vice-president, customer business for Derby-based Rolls-Royce, added: "Hainan's ambitions demand a versatile solution that offers the best economics over a variety of operating environments. As the Trent 700 is the only engine designed specifically for the A330, airlines truly get the most out of this combination."