Following new issues with some of RTX's Pratt & Whitney engines, airline executives are furious about the possibility of grounding aircraft and reducing flight capacity during a busy summer travel season.
At least 1,200 of Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines, which power Airbus' well-known A320neo jets, will be affected by this latest problem, which may take up to 60 days to check and rectify. Microscopic impurities were discovered in a metal utilised in part of the engine core.
Even while just a few airlines made public comments regarding the engine contamination issue, other senior airline officials privately expressed amazement and one, who wished to remain anonymous, called it a "nasty surprise."
It is challenging for carriers to add more flights because of the shortages of pilots, air traffic controllers, and new aircraft. To overcome logistical difficulties, some are turning to larger aircraft that can carry more passengers.
"On the face of it, this came at a really awkward time," said Addison Schonland, partner at consulting firm AirInsight.
Airlines in the northern hemisphere are attempting to maximise resources for the summer travel season, which is normally the industry's most lucrative time of year. RTX stated that it was seeking to minimise the impact and help its passengers.
According to aviation data supplier Cirium, significant customers who received affected A320neo aircraft include Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, and Wizz Air.
These carriers are dependent on outside service providers because they lack internal support systems for aircraft maintenance and repairs. The problem is much more urgent for them, though, because maintenance facilities are already overcrowded, according to Schonland.
Hawaiian Airlines said it was still too early to gauge the effects but cautioned it might need to change its capacity.
The impact, according to the carrier, would depend on whether the necessary replacement parts were readily available.
Hawaiian's ability to fully utilise its Airbus fleet was already constrained by the insufficient supply of replacements for these engines. Due to engine shortages, some aircraft had to be grounded.
A persistent labour shortage following the pandemic and a quicker-than-expected rebound in travel demand have made it difficult for the sector to build up spare capacity.
Hawaiian had only intended to take two planes out of service over the next few months, but that changed once it was discovered that Pratt & Whitney's engines included tainted metal parts. Prior to having access to its whole Airbus narrowbody fleet, it will probably be a few more quarters.
"What we are really looking forward to is full availability of our fleet ... and a much more predictable operation," Hawaiian CEO Peter Ingram said on the company's earnings call on Tuesday.
Due to a shortage of functional GTF engines, Spirit Airlines previously reduced their capacity projections for 2023. According to the ultra-low-cost airline, the turnaround times for engines have increased by threefold as a result of limited capacity at repair facilities.
The Florida-based business did not reply to a request for comment. It is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings the following week. However, it claimed that activities were being hampered by engine problems in April.
Scott Haralson, chief financial officer at Spirit Airlines, had previously referred to the current problem as "frustrating" since it was harming the airline's profits.
JetBlue is in a comparable situation. According to a spokesman, the New York-based carrier was collaborating with Pratt to determine the implications of the most recent issue.
This summer, the airline already reduced 10% of its New York City departures owing to a lack of air traffic controllers. The business previously stated in a regulatory filing that it was "vulnerable to significant problems" related to Pratt & Whitney's GTF engines.
Hungary's Wizz Air predicted on Wednesday that 12 of its fleet's engines would be impacted, causing first-half capacity to decline by a "mid-single digit" percentage. However, the low-cost carrier cautioned that a high demand for travel from consumers can lead to higher ticket prices, maintaining profitability.
(Source:www.reuters.com)
At least 1,200 of Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines, which power Airbus' well-known A320neo jets, will be affected by this latest problem, which may take up to 60 days to check and rectify. Microscopic impurities were discovered in a metal utilised in part of the engine core.
Even while just a few airlines made public comments regarding the engine contamination issue, other senior airline officials privately expressed amazement and one, who wished to remain anonymous, called it a "nasty surprise."
It is challenging for carriers to add more flights because of the shortages of pilots, air traffic controllers, and new aircraft. To overcome logistical difficulties, some are turning to larger aircraft that can carry more passengers.
"On the face of it, this came at a really awkward time," said Addison Schonland, partner at consulting firm AirInsight.
Airlines in the northern hemisphere are attempting to maximise resources for the summer travel season, which is normally the industry's most lucrative time of year. RTX stated that it was seeking to minimise the impact and help its passengers.
According to aviation data supplier Cirium, significant customers who received affected A320neo aircraft include Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, and Wizz Air.
These carriers are dependent on outside service providers because they lack internal support systems for aircraft maintenance and repairs. The problem is much more urgent for them, though, because maintenance facilities are already overcrowded, according to Schonland.
Hawaiian Airlines said it was still too early to gauge the effects but cautioned it might need to change its capacity.
The impact, according to the carrier, would depend on whether the necessary replacement parts were readily available.
Hawaiian's ability to fully utilise its Airbus fleet was already constrained by the insufficient supply of replacements for these engines. Due to engine shortages, some aircraft had to be grounded.
A persistent labour shortage following the pandemic and a quicker-than-expected rebound in travel demand have made it difficult for the sector to build up spare capacity.
Hawaiian had only intended to take two planes out of service over the next few months, but that changed once it was discovered that Pratt & Whitney's engines included tainted metal parts. Prior to having access to its whole Airbus narrowbody fleet, it will probably be a few more quarters.
"What we are really looking forward to is full availability of our fleet ... and a much more predictable operation," Hawaiian CEO Peter Ingram said on the company's earnings call on Tuesday.
Due to a shortage of functional GTF engines, Spirit Airlines previously reduced their capacity projections for 2023. According to the ultra-low-cost airline, the turnaround times for engines have increased by threefold as a result of limited capacity at repair facilities.
The Florida-based business did not reply to a request for comment. It is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings the following week. However, it claimed that activities were being hampered by engine problems in April.
Scott Haralson, chief financial officer at Spirit Airlines, had previously referred to the current problem as "frustrating" since it was harming the airline's profits.
JetBlue is in a comparable situation. According to a spokesman, the New York-based carrier was collaborating with Pratt to determine the implications of the most recent issue.
This summer, the airline already reduced 10% of its New York City departures owing to a lack of air traffic controllers. The business previously stated in a regulatory filing that it was "vulnerable to significant problems" related to Pratt & Whitney's GTF engines.
Hungary's Wizz Air predicted on Wednesday that 12 of its fleet's engines would be impacted, causing first-half capacity to decline by a "mid-single digit" percentage. However, the low-cost carrier cautioned that a high demand for travel from consumers can lead to higher ticket prices, maintaining profitability.
(Source:www.reuters.com)
