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04-09-2024
VICTORIA: Hong Kong’s flagship airline Cathay Pacific has cancelled dozens of flights after a plane heading from the city to Zurich was forced to turn around due to an “engine component failure”.
The company says it has now inspected all 48 of its Airbus A350s and found 15 aircraft with faulty parts that needed to be replaced.
The planes’ Trent XWB-97 engines were made by British engineering giant Rolls-Royce.
Since Monday, Cathay Pacific has cancelled almost 70 flights, including routes linking Hong Kong to Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei.
Cathay Pacific said the disruptions will continue until at least Saturday.
“At Cathay, safety of our customers and our people guides every decision we make,” the airline said.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding.”
Airbus did not immediately respond to a media request for comment.
Cathay Pacific took delivery of its first Airbus A350 aircraft in 2016. The planes are equipped with fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines.
Rolls-Royce told media that “it is committed to working closely with the airline, aircraft manufacturer and the relevant authorities to support their efforts.”
“As well as providing support and guidance to Cathay Pacific, Rolls-Royce will also keep other airlines that operate Trent XWB-97 engines fully informed of any relevant developments as appropriate.”
Cathay Pacific’s A350s also serve destinations in Europe and North America.
In a statement the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it is “monitoring any information coming out of the technical investigation and will take decisions on any fleet level action as required.”
Other airlines that operate A350s include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines. The media has contacted the companies for comment. Japan Airlines said it was “reviewing the situation with Rolls Royce” and added it would “take the necessary action based on this information”.
Qatar Airways said there had been “no impact on the operation of any Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000s” but added it would monitor the situation.
This year, Rolls-Royce announced plans to invest heavily to improve its range of engines, including the Trent XWB-97.
In 2023, Tim Clark, the boss of gulf carrier Emirates, voiced concerns about the durability of the engine and the prices Rolls-Royce charged for maintenance.
Meanwhile, Guernsey Aviation Group (GAAG) has criticized plans for an independent review into the states-backed airline Aurigny.
The group said the airline could not provide “very basic services the island needs” following a series of delays and cancellations this year.
It said the impact of unreliable services had already led to businesses leaving the island, adding Policy and Resources should intervene. A spokesperson for Aurigny said it was working its shareholder on an upcoming review of the service.
The spokesperson said they were “confident” its strategy of standardized fleet and destinations such as London City and Paris, aimed at supporting both the local finance sector and the visitor economy, was the “right one”.
“We understand the importance of providing islanders, visitors, and businesses with reliable and resilient air links these air links have helped Guernsey’s post-pandemic air travel volumes to recover at a rate on par or ahead of other Crown Dependencies,” the spokesperson said. (Int’l News Desk)
