Airline Discovers 15 A350 Jets with Same Engine Issue After U-Turn

Cathay Pacific has recently faced significant disruptions due to an issue with the Rolls Royce engines powering its Airbus A350 jets. The airline canceled 24 flights and anticipates more cancellations as it investigates the problem.

This situation arose following an inflight incident where a Cathay Pacific A350 was forced to turn back shortly after departing Hong Kong for Zurich. According to flight tracking data, the aircraft was approximately 15 minutes into the journey when it returned to the airport.

Upon inspection of the aircraft, the airline identified an engine component failure. In response, Cathay Pacific initiated inspections on all 48 of its A350 jets. The inspections revealed that 15 of these aircraft required engine component replacements.

As part of its safety protocols, the airline has already canceled 24 flights and expects that another 10 flights may be canceled on Wednesday, with potential further cancellations stretching through Saturday.

Rolls Royce, the engine manufacturer, reassured that it would keep other airlines operating similar engines informed of any relevant updates. It noted that the affected engine, the Trent XWB-97, is utilized by 88 aircraft globally, and its safety protocols would be shared across the industry.

In light of these developments, Rolls Royce’s share price experienced a decline of up to 5.7% on Monday but managed to recover about 4% when trading resumed on Tuesday.

Rolls Royce confirmed its commitment to supporting Cathay Pacific and emphasized that the replacement of the faulty component can be carried out while the engine remains mounted on the aircraft, mitigating the maintenance time needed for repairs.

The Trent XWB-97 engine is the exclusive engine for the A350-1000, a larger version of the aircraft that can accommodate up to 480 passengers. Other variants of the A350, such as the A350-900, feature different engine models from Rolls Royce.

Cathay Pacific is among the top operators of the A350-1000, possessing 18 such aircraft alongside British Airways, which shares the same number, while Qatar Airways leads with 24. Other airlines in this category include Etihad Airways, Japan Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.

Last November, Rolls Royce defended the Trent XWB-97 against criticism from Emirates President Tim Clark, reiterating its compliance with safety and maintenance standards.

In a statement regarding the current situation, Cathay Pacific stated that it has adhered strictly to all maintenance requirements established by the engine manufacturer. The airline emphasized its commitment to safety, assuring that strict procedures are in place to ensure the safe operation of its fleet.

This specific component failure represents the first of its type documented in any A350 aircraft globally, highlighting the rarity of the incident.

Cathay Pacific expressed its apologies for the inconvenience to its passengers and thanked them for their patience and understanding during this time. The airline noted that customer safety is its top priority, guiding all operational decisions.

Investigations into the inflight incident will be conducted by relevant authorities in Hong Kong to further assess the circumstances and implications surrounding the event.

Source: Business Insider