RTX Corp, the parent company of Pratt & Whitney, has revised its estimates, indicating the need to remove approximately 600 to 700 engines from Airbus A320neo aircraft for extensive quality inspections spanning from 2023 to 2026.
What CEO Greg Hayes initially anticipated as a 60-day repair process is now projected to extend up to 300 days per engine. This adjustment could result in an annual grounding of around 350 jets until 2026, with a peak of 650 jets idling during the first half of 2024.
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Meanwhile, IndiGo, the world’s largest customer for A320 family aircraft, is proactively seeking to lease more than 20 older-generation A320ceos to mitigate the potential impact on its grounded fleet. India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, currently operates a fleet of over 300 aircraft, nearly 50 of which are grounded due to issues with PW engines.
While the A320neos were originally designed for enhanced fuel efficiency compared to the A320ceos, persistent problems with PW engines have prompted IndiGo to explore options involving the older A320ceos.
IndiGo presently operates over 130 A320neos and could face significant challenges due to the recent PW warning. The airline has already engaged in wet leasing, involving two wide-body aircraft from Turkish Airlines, to operate daily flights between Istanbul and Delhi as well as Mumbai.
GoAir, which previously operated a fleet of PW-powered A320s, is now grounded and attributed its collapse to issues with PW engines.
“We are in receipt of the recent information from our OEM Pratt and Whitney(P&W) regarding the outcome of the latest inspection of their engine. We continue to work closely with P&W to assess the potential impact to our fleet and implement mitigation measures as required,” said the IndiGo spokesperson.