Airlines Scramble for Airbus A350 Inspections Following Cathay Pacific Fuel Line Repairs

Several airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Qatar Airways, are conducting precautionary inspections on their Airbus A350 fleets after fuel line issues were discovered. The inspections focus primarily on the A350-1000 model, though some checks are being performed on the A350-900 model as well.

Several airlines are conducting precautionary inspections on their Airbus A350 fleets following Cathay Pacific's discovery of fuel line issues on 15 planes requiring repairs. This issue emerged from an engine part failure on a five-year-old Airbus A350-1000, powered by Rolls-Royce's Trent XWB-97 engines. Some carriers are also inspecting the A350-900 model using a different engine.

On Thursday, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) mandated airlines perform visual checks and measurements on the A350-1000 fuel houses within three to 30 days. The A350-900 remains unaffected. Airline responses by aircraft model are as follows:

A350-1000: Cathay Pacific identified 15 aircraft needing engine component replacements, aiming to complete repairs by Saturday. Japan Airlines inspected its five new A350-1000s, finding no defects. Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways are conducting inspections based on EASA and Rolls-Royce guidance, with no issues reported so far. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have not commented.

A350-900: Japan Airlines, Air China, Singapore Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Thai Airways have conducted precautionary engine checks, reporting no significant issues. Operations remain unaffected.

(With inputs from agencies.)