Cathay Pacific Conducts Fleet-Wide Inspections After Engine Part Failure

Cathay Pacific Airways inspected its Airbus A350 fleet after an engine part failure, identifying 15 aircraft needing component replacements. The carrier aims for full resumption by Saturday. Other airlines are monitoring the situation but have not halted flights. Rolls-Royce has yet to issue an inspection directive.

Following an engine part failure aboard one of its A350 aircraft, Cathay Pacific Airways has conducted a thorough inspection of its entire Airbus A350 fleet. The airline discovered that 15 of its jets require component replacements. As of Tuesday, three out of the 48 inspected aircraft have undergone successful repairs, with the carrier anticipating all planes to return to service by Saturday.

While Cathay Pacific has faced flight cancellations, affecting routes to several major cities including Sydney, Osaka, and Tokyo, other airlines have maintained normal operations. Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways are among the carriers stating their fleets remain unaffected, although they continue to seek more information from Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce, the engine manufacturer, noted that replacements could be performed without removing engines from the wings and is working closely with Cathay Pacific and Airbus to investigate the issue. The failed component, reportedly a fuel nozzle in the XWB-97 engine, marks a first for the A350 aircraft model. This incident has not yet spurred a broader directive from Rolls-Royce for other operators to inspect their engines.

(With inputs from agencies.)