Cathay Pacific temporarily grounded its Airbus A350 fleet for inspections after an engine component failure during takeoff on a flight to Zurich.
The Airbus A350-1000 with registration B-LXI was operating flight CX383 from Hong Kong to Zurich. However, the aircraft experienced an engine failure shortly after takeoff and returned to Hong Kong after dumping fuel over the sea for around 30 minutes to the southeast of the airport, as reported by FlightRadar24.
Following the in-flight return on 2nd September, Cathay Pacific identified a specific engine component failure in the A350 aircraft involved. The airline immediately brought this issue to the attention of the aircraft and engine manufacturers as well as its regulators.
As a precautionary measure, an inspection of its 48 A350 aircraft was initiated immediately. During the inspections, Cathay Pacific identified 15 aircraft with affected engine components that require replacement.
Three of these aircraft have already undergone successful repairs, while the remaining 12 will remain out of service until they have been repaired and cleared for operation. The airline expects that all affected aircraft will resume operations by Saturday, September 7.
Flight Cancellations
The grounding of the A350 fleet has caused significant disruption to Cathay Pacific‘s operations, resulting in flight cancellations and delays. The airline has apologized to affected passengers and has been working to rebook them on alternative flights or provide refunds.
“At Cathay, the safety of our customers and our people guides every decision we make. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding,” said Cathay Pacific Spokesperson.
Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Engine
The affected A350s are equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, and the engine manufacturer has confirmed its commitment to working closely with Cathay Pacific, the aircraft manufacturer, and the relevant authorities to support their efforts. The -1000 variant is fitted with the XWB-97 version.
Rolls-Royce will also keep other airlines that operate Trent XWB engines fully informed of any relevant developments as appropriate. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is also monitoring the situation and will take decisions on any fleet-level action as required.