Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific has been cancelled tens of planes after a flight from the city to Zurich was forced to turn around due to “partial engine failure”.
The company says it is now inspecting all of its 48 Airbus A350 planes “as a precautionary measure” and found a faulty part in some engines that needed to be replaced.
Rolls-Royce told the BBC that the plane was powered by its Trent XWB-97 engines.
As of Monday, Cathay Pacific has canceled a dozen return flights, including routes connecting Hong Kong with Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Osaka and Taipei.
The airline said it expected the disruption to last until at least Wednesday.
Cathay Pacific said the engine component that caused its plane to return to Hong Kong was “the first of its kind to fail on any A350 aircraft worldwide.”
“So far we have identified a number of parts of the same engine that need to be replaced, the instruments are secured and the repair work is ongoing,” the airline said in a statement.
“As a result, many flights will be out of service for several days while this process is completed and Cathay Pacific’s operations will be affected.”
The airline expects inspections of its A350 aircraft to be completed later on Tuesday.
Airbus did not immediately respond to the BBC’s 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.
“We are committed to working closely with the airline, the aircraft manufacturer and the relevant authorities to support their investigation into this incident,” Rolls-Royce told BBC News.
Other airlines that operate A350s include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Qatar Airways. The BBC has contacted the companies for comment.
Earlier this year, Rolls-Royce announced plans to invest in improving its engine range, including the Trent XWB-97.
In 2023, Tim Clark, CEO of gulf carrier Emirates, expressed concern about engine durability and the prices being charged by Rolls-Royce for repairs.
Source link
