Cathay Pacific grounds A350 fleet after engine failure

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways said it was grounding and inspecting all of its Airbus A350 airplanes after a “first of its kind” engine component failure forced a flight to turn back on Monday.

The airline was inspecting all 48 of its Airbus A350 planes as a precaution, it said in a statement on Monday night.

"Thus far we have identified a number of the same engine components that need to be replaced, spare parts have been secured and repair work is underway," it said.

Cathay Director Engineering Keith Brown assured passengers of safety measures.

"Each aircraft is undergoing a rigorous inspection. Upon completion, the aircraft cleared for operation will return to service, while those identified with technical issues will undergo further repair and maintenance work," he said.

The airline was working in tandem with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department and the British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce engine issue on flight to Zurich

Minutes after takeoff, flight CX383 from Hong Kong to Zurich encountered a problem with its engine.

Instead of turning north for the 12-hour journey, the A350-1000 airplane took two wide circles over the South China Sea, dumped fuel into the ocean, and safely landed back in Hong Kong some 75 minutes after takeoff, according to tracking data from the Flightradar24 website.

Cathay Airways did not provide details on which component of the Rolls-Royce engine malfunctioned.

According to a Reuters report, citing a person familiar with the matter, the incident involved a problem with the fuel nozzle, which directs fuel inside the engine.

What does this mean for Cathay Pacific Airways?

The airline operates 18 of the largest twin-engined Airbus planes as part of a fleet that consists of both Airbus and Boeing planes.

It is one of the three largest operators of the wide-bodied airplane, after Qatar Airways and British Airways, which also owns 18 of the jets. There are 88 A350-1000 aircraft in operation worldwide.

Cathay owns another 30 A350-900 planes, which are smaller and more widely used. These planes run on a different model of Rolls-Royce engines.

Other airlines have not reported inspections or similar findings as of now. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which has the power to order fleet-wide inspections and repairs, said it would wait for the results of Cathay’s investigation.

“We will be monitoring any information coming out of the technical investigation and will take decisions on any fleet-level action as required,” a spokesperson said.

Cathay Pacific has canceled 24 return flights until the end of Tuesday and it said it may have to cancel more, depending on developments.

mk/lo (AFP, Reuters)