Airbus Jets Grounded Due to Engine Problems, Adding to Aviation Industry’s 2024 Woes
As if airlines didn’t have enough on their plate this year — from the grounding of the 737 MAX to fare wars and potential strikes — now they’re facing engine troubles. Engines designed by RTX’s Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce are causing emergency inspections, grounding planes, and disrupting schedules. And the airlines flying Airbus planes are feeling it the most.
- The Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines used in Airbus’s A220 should last 20K flight cycles. But due to durability issues, mechanics are now recommending inspections much earlier — which requires taking the planes out of service.
- As a result, WSJ reports that 15% of A220s are currently grounded — and up to 42% more are either overdue for inspections or will need them soon, affecting domestic airlines like Delta and JetBlue.
That’s not all… Last week, operators of the Airbus A350-1000 were ordered to carry out emergency checks of the Rolls-Royce XWB-97 engines after fuel leaks in two incidents. This forced Cathay Pacific, which flies a large portion of the 86 A350-1000s in service, to cancel 45 flights. It seems Airbus is joining Boeing in the “plane problem” spotlight. For airlines and passengers alike, more grounded planes could mean increased delays, cancellations, and travel headaches.
