Cathay Pacific inspects Airbus A350 fleet after engine part failure
Peter Klinsman
Posted On September 3, 2024
Cathay Pacific’s A350 Fleet Inspection
On Monday, Cathay Pacific Airways announced the commencement of inspections on its entire Airbus A350 fleet following an in-flight engine component failure. This incident resulted in the cancellation of 24 return flights and the grounding of several aircraft for precautionary repairs.
Engine Component Failure
According to Cathay Pacific, the engine component that failed was identified as a fuel nozzle, a part responsible for directing fuel into the engine. The airline emphasized that this was the first reported failure of its kind on any A350 aircraft worldwide. A person familiar with the matter confirmed the issue’s nature.
Market Impact
The incident sent shares of Rolls-Royce, the sole engine provider for the Airbus A350 family, plummeting by more than 6%. This decline led to a 2.8% drop in Europe’s defence and aerospace index.
Flight Details
Flightradar24 data revealed that the affected aircraft, an A350-1000, experienced the issue minutes after take-off. Instead of continuing its intended 12-hour journey to Zurich, the aircraft executed two wide circles before returning to Hong Kong and landing safely 75 minutes post-departure.
Investigation and Coordination
Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority has promptly launched an investigation into the incident. In addition, Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch has pledged support for the ongoing investigation. Cathay Pacific is collaborating with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce to coordinate the investigation and repairs.
Cathay Pacific’s Fleet and Orders
Cathay Pacific currently operates 48 A350 jets, including both A350-1000 and A350-900 variants. The airline has around 100 aircraft on order, with the rights to acquire an additional 80. Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB engines power the A350 family, with the XWB-97 variant powering the A350-1000 and the XWB-84 вариант powering the A350-900.
Regulatory Oversight
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), responsible for overseeing Airbus jets, is monitoring the situation and will consider fleet-wide checks or repairs based on the findings of the investigation.
