After Cathay Pacific was forced to inspect all 48 of its Airbus A350s, the airline has confirmed that engineers identified 15 aircraft that needed repairs.
On September 2, 2024, Cathay Pacific initiated a fleet-wide inspection of all 30 Airbus A350-900s and 18 A350-1000s after the airline identified an engine component failure on an aircraft destined for Zurich.
The A350 (flight CX383) that triggered mass inspections left Hong Kong on September 2, 2024, for a 12-hour flight to Europe, but after only 75 minutes flight time the aircraft returned to its departure airport.
AV Herald reported that during the flight to Zurich, the A350 pilots stopped the aircraft climb after receiving a fire warning in the right-hand Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engine.
“We immediately brought this issue to the attention of the aircraft and engine manufacturers as well as our regulators,” Cathay said in a statement.
According to the airline, the “component was the first of its type to suffer such failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide”.
In a statement to the BBC, Rolls-Royce said it was “committed to working closely with the airline, aircraft manufacturer and the relevant authorities to support their efforts”.
“As well as providing support and guidance to Cathay Pacific, Rolls-Royce will also keep other airlines that operate Trent XWB-97 engines fully informed of any relevant developments as appropriate,” the engine manufacturer added.
Cathay confirmed that all its A350s were inspected within 24 hours, with the 15 affected aircraft identified requiring replacement components. Three have already gone through successful repairs.
“The remaining aircraft will continue to be out of service until they have been repaired and cleared for operation. We expect that all affected aircraft will resume operations by Saturday (7 September),” Cathay said.
Up until the end of September 3, 2024, a total of 24 flights have been cancelled and on September 4, 2024, the airline expects to cancel 10 additional regional return flights, while long-haul services should not be affected.
“At Cathay, safety of our customers and our people guides every decision we make. 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. Meanwhile, we are liaising with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department and the aircraft and engine manufacturers. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding,” said Cathay’s Director of Engineering, Keith Brown.
According to Bloomberg, two people familiar with the matter said that the issue relates to deformed or degraded fuel lines.