Wizz Air has this week announced that capacity for the second half of next year will be cut due to inspections on its Pratt & Whitney engines. What impact will this have on the carrier?
This is a significant blow for the low-cost carrier, as up to 10% of its capacity is expected to be affected by these inspections.
Without further ado, let’s get into it…
Full Statement from Wizz Air on Pratt & Whitney Engine Checks…
The full statement reads:
“Further to the information provided on 3rd August 2023, Wizz Air Holdings Plc (“Wizz Air” or “the Company”) today provides an update on the impact of the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine inspections following a market update by RTX Corporation (“RTX”) on 11 September 2023.”
“Wizz Air was informed by RTX that its Pratt & Whitney GTF engines will be subject to inspection intervals, resulting in engines being removed for shop visits during the remainder of 2023 and into 2024 that will likely cause some of its aircraft being grounded in this period.”
“Wizz Air is currently assessing the implications to understand the extent of the impact on its fleet with initial estimates indicating a potential capacity reduction of 10 percent for F24 H2.”
“Wizz Air will continue to work with Pratt & Whitney to minimize the impact to its fleet plan and costs to the business.”
“The Company continues to take proactive action to mitigate any financial and operational impact and will be seeking financial compensation from Pratt & Whitney.”
“The Company will provide a more detailed update in due course.”
Wizz Air Issue is Another Blow for the Engine Manufacturer…
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This is yet another blow for Pratt & Whitney as it continues to fight off ongoing issues, that have mainly been affecting the A320neo Family of aircraft.
As per data from Planespotters.net, the Wizz Air Group has the following neo family in its fleet:
- Six A320neos.
- 98 A321neos.
There have been a few instances over the course of this year, where Pratt & Whitney-engined aircraft have been affected by the current ongoing issues.
The first major story came from Go First of India, where they blamed the engine manufacturer for their subsequent bankruptcy, due to not having enough aircraft to operate.
Then, back in August, IndiGo confirmed to Reuters that the airline was in talks with the manufacturer for potential fleet disruption to its operations.
This even included an in-flight emergency of one of its flights during its descent into Mumbai Airport.
And just this week, a Pratt & Whitney-powered Air China flight suffered an engine fire on its arrival into Singapore.
What Next?
For Wizz Air, they have already made their stance clear. Operations will be disrupted, and they want compensating for it.
Looking ahead, it is going to be interesting to see what other airlines are going to be affected by the ongoing engine checks by Pratt & Whitney.
But for now, all eyes will be on the low-cost carrier to see how they can manoeuvre through this particular storm.
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