Pratt and Whitney engine issues continue to hit IndiGo’s Airbus A320 neo operations
23 Aug 2018
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Budget carrier Indigo was forced to ground a new Airbus A320 neo aircraft, a couple of weeks after it was inducted into its fleet as its Pratt and Whitney engine developed problems.
The aircraft had hardly flown 50 hours after the airline got delivery of the aircraft on 31 July this year, raising concerns over the airworthiness of the engine
Rival carrier GoAir is also flying these aircraft fitted with the Pratt and Whitney engine. Both carriers said they found no defects on visual inspections of 50 PW engines. But the engine suffers glitches, forcing the A320 Neo planes to be grounded.
IndiGo is reported to have grounded five of its A320 neo planes in Delhi over engine issues while another A320neo has been withdrawn over Pratt & Whitney engine concerns.
The airline, however, maintains that the grounding of its aircraft has no impact on its operations.
"An IndiGo A320 neo has been grounded and is undergoing a routine engine change. There is no impact on our flight operations," the airline said in a statement.
The flight was inducted for regular commercial operation in the first week of this month. On August 10, after operating from Indore to Bengaluru (flight no 6E708), it was grounded. Reportedly an oil/magnetic chip was found in the engine.
Sources said IndiGo had to seek special permission from aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation to fly this aircraft from Bengaluru to New Delhi on August 12 as a "ferry aircraft" to undergo engine replacement. Ferry aircraft does not carry passengers.
After the sixth aircraft was grounded on 6 August due to P&W engine issues, P&W said the grounded aircraft could be back in air from this month.
IndiGo has a fleet of more than 170 aircrafts, including 40 A320 neo planes.
Altogether 14 A320 Neos, including 11 of IndiGo and three of GoAir had been taken out of operations during February and March this year.
