Many summer flights cancelled due to engine failure?

The problem is with the new generation engines made by the American Pratt & Whitney. They need mending so frequently that estimates talk about 3,000 flights that will be cancelled because of them during the summer season. The engine crisis affects multiple flights to and from Hungary and concerns Wizz Air aircraft.

According to portfolio.hu, demand rose after the COVID pandemic for a new generation, low-consumption engines. However, these need more frequent maintenance causing problems for the aviation industry. The engines need thorough examination after at least 850 operating hours, regardless of their state.

However, the engines made by the American Pratt & Whitney need frequent maintenance, and, on top of that, the operation lasts too long. That is because the supply of auxiliary components struggles with problems. To make matters worse, the engines were built in 1,228 Airbus A319neo, A320neo and A321neo aircraft. Moreover, 226 A220 jets and 70 Embraer E2s fly with them.

The engine error concerns Wizz Air

As a result, at the beginning of May, the Indian low-cost airline, Go First declared bankruptcy. Based on portfolio.hu, the engine crisis affects the Hungarian budget airline, Wizz Air as well. As hvg.hu news portal assumes, that might mean cancelling several Wizz flights during the summer period, which is bad news for the holidaymakers. We wrote HERE what the new Airbus A321neo Wizz aircraft will look like.

Furthermore, the problem does not help solve tensions concerning the sensitive demand-supply balance. On top of that, it increases prices or at least balks their decrease. Based on the research of an Italian newspaper, La Economia, the problem concerns Air Baltic, Swiss (Lufthansa), Turkish Airlines, Spirit Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Hong Kong Express Airways, JetBlue, Air Tanzania, Air Senegal, IndiGo, Air Asia, Air India, Batik Air, and Iraqi Airways.

The paper cited Martin Gauss, the CEO of Air Baltic, who said last March that the extended delivery times of the engines after maintenance by Pratt & Whitney are causing operational interruptions. As a result, they are forced to cancel flights or routes. Mr Gauss added that “in normal situations, an engine sent for repair might not be available for 60-90 days. But in this case, we are talking about a year.” He shared a horror story with his audience in Brussels when an engine returned to them after 386 days.

Wizz Air reacted to the article

The maintenance problems caused by the new generation of engines affect the whole industry, so singling out Wizz Air in this way is not justified, the statement said. The cancellations are not justified either, they stressed.