Ads
Cathay Pacific, the flag airline of Hong Kong, has recently faced delays and cancellations of dozens of flights as it conducts a thorough inspection of its entire Airbus A350 fleet following engine issues. The airline reported an engine component failure on flight CX383 from Hong Kong to Zurich, prompting the airliner to return to Hong Kong.
According to a statement provided to CNN, Cathay Pacific stated that this specific component failure was the first of its kind on any A350 aircraft worldwide. In response to this issue, the airline conducted a comprehensive check of its 48-plane fleet and discovered that a number of the same engine components needed to be replaced. The airline did not provide details on the nature of the engine issue but confirmed that 15 planes required engine component repairs, with three already rectified by Tuesday afternoon. The remaining impacted planes were expected to resume flights by Saturday.
Due to the necessary inspections and repairs, Cathay Pacific had to cancel 24 flights on Monday and Tuesday. Additionally, the airline announced the cancellation of 10 regional return flights on Wednesday but assured passengers that long-haul flights would not be affected.
Reports indicated that a gasoline nozzle, responsible for distributing fuel into the engine, had malfunctioned. Cathay Pacific informed both the aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, and the engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce, about the issue. The A350 family of aircraft uses two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan engines, and the engine in question was a Trent XWB-97 engine. Rolls-Royce stated that it was committed to cooperating with the airline, aircraft manufacturer, and relevant authorities to investigate the incident. Following the news, Rolls-Royce’s shares fell by almost 6% on Monday.
Despite the incident, aviation experts have emphasized that the A350 is a safe aircraft. Shukor Yusof, founder of aviation tracking business Endau Analytics, acknowledged that while the A350 is considered safe, logistical delays concerning components, parts, and engine materials can cause issues for airlines. He also noted that other airlines may experience similar problems to varying degrees due to labor shortages and other factors.
In terms of the specific flight incident, Flightradar24 data revealed that flight CX383 departed from Hong Kong International Airport at 4:24 pm on Monday and experienced the engine problem shortly after takeoff. Instead of continuing on its route to Zurich, the A350-1000 aircraft circled around Hong Kong before safely returning to the city.
The engine issue with the A350 comes at a time when aircraft manufacturers have been under scrutiny for safety concerns. Boeing, in particular, has faced its share of issues, including the grounding of its 737 Max fleet and structural problems with its 777X aircraft. Rolls-Royce has assured that it is already working to upgrade the Trent XWB engines to resolve any issues encountered by airlines.
Despite these challenges, Cathay Pacific remains committed to ensuring the safety and operational efficiency of its fleet. The airline’s proactive approach to identifying and addressing engine issues is a testament to its dedication to passenger safety and quality service. Moving forward, Cathay Pacific will continue to work closely with regulators, aircraft manufacturers, and engine suppliers to maintain the highest standards of safety and reliability in its operations.
