Cathay Pacific has been forced to ground a significant portion of its Airbus A350 fleet due to engine issues. This has now led to widespread flight cancellations and disruptions.
The airline experienced an engine component problem on its A350 widebody aircraft this week, prompting inspections and maintenance actions.
Cathay A350 Grounding for Inspections
The engine issue was first uncovered as a result of an engine component failure this week. This occurred on a Zurich-bound scheduled flight service on Monday. The specifics of the component problem have not yet been disclosed. However, the issue is serious enough to see the airline’s A350 fleet taken out of service for maintenance inspections.
As a result, numerous flights have been canceled, including popular routes between Hong Kong and Singapore. According to the Bangkok Post, the carrier has cancelled eight of its nine scheduled services on the Hong-Kong to Singapore route on Tuesday, 3 September.
Additionally, around half of its scheduled services to Bangkok and Tokyo Narita have similarly been grounded. The flights currently operating are being serviced by aircraft other than the Airbus A350 fleet.
Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Issue
The engine issues affecting Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A350 fleet are primarily related to the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine, which powers this aircraft model.
While the specific nature of the problems has not been disclosed in detail, it’s known that certain engine components have been identified as requiring inspection and potential replacement. These issues have led to concerns about engine performance and safety, necessitating the grounding of affected aircraft.
Rolls-Royce is the manufacturer of the Trent XWB engine, which is widely used on the Airbus A350. The grounding of flights indicates that the engine issues are considered serious enough to pose potential safety risks.
Both Cathay Pacific and Rolls-Royce are now conducting investigations to determine the root causes of the problems and implement corrective measures.
The grounding of a significant portion of the A350 fleet has clearly had a substantial impact on Cathay Pacific’s operations. This has so far led to 44 flight cancellations and attendant disruptions for passengers.
The issue has also seen share prices for Rolls-Royce drop, with a fall of 8.2% recorded when the issue was revealed on Monday.
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