Cathay Pacific expects A350 to return to service after engine failure
An Airbus SE A350 aircraft operated by Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. on the runway at Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
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Hong Kong Airlines Cathay Pacific on Wednesday confirmed that it expects to return its Airbus A350 aircraft to service by the end of the week, after an engine failure on the aircraft forced the entire fleet to be inspected and dozens of flights to be canceled.
The airline had previously said that a failed engine part forced a Zurich-bound flight to return to Hong Kong on September 2. The aircraft involved, an A350-1000 variant of the popular widebody model, uses Trent XWB-97 engines made by British manufacturer Rolls Royce.
Cathay Pacific said Wednesday that 15 of the 48 A350 aircraft in its fleet — including the A350-900 variant — were found to have engine fuel lines that needed replacing. Six have been repaired and cleared for service, while the remaining nine are expected to return to service on Saturday, September 7, the airline added.
Repairs were carried out fairly quickly due to the availability of spare parts and the replacement being performed while the engine was still on the wing, rather than having to be removed.
The disruption resulted in a total of 45 return flights being cancelled between September 2 and 7, all of which were scheduled to regional destinations rather than long-haul flights.
“This is a significant situation for Cathay to deal with as the engine failure is the first of its kind on any A350 aircraft in the world,” Cathay Pacific’s chief operating officer and service provider Alex McGowan said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Completing a comprehensive inspection and maintenance of all A350 aircraft in such a short time was a challenge. The ability to safely address and resolve this issue reflects the can-do spirit of Cathay employees.”
The suspension of Cathay Pacific’s A350 flights sent shares in engine maker Rolls-Royce down 6.5% on Monday, with investors fearing a potentially similar situation. Longstanding problems with Trent 1000 enginecost the company more than £2.4 billion ($3 billion).
Shares closed slightly higher on Tuesday after analysts said Early indications are that the issue is simply a “quick fix” with limited long-term impact, rather than a fundamental design flaw in the engine.
Rolls-Royce said on Tuesday it was cooperating with the Hong Kong authorities’ investigation and would keep other airlines operating Trent XWB-97 engines fully informed.
Airlines with the A350 in their fleet include Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
