Financials not impacted due to issues with P&W engines

Budget carrier IndiGo has said its financials have not been impacted due to ongoing issues with the Airbus A320 Neo planes powered by Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines.

The Gurgaon-based airline has taken various measures to improve its on-time performance which had some issues late last year, Chief Financial Officer Rohit Philip said. 

There is no financial impact as it is more of an operational issue, Philip told reporters on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony of the upcoming Airbus India Training Centre here.

Both IndiGo and GoAir, which operate these latest fuel-efficient A320 Neo planes fitted with P&W engines, have seen a series of technical glitches in some of these aircraft, prompting aviation regulator DGCA to direct P&W to address the issues within a "specified time".

The IndiGo official also said the airline is committed to the P&W engines for the first 180 planes, adding that the decision about the type of engines for the other 250 aircraft on order with the Airbus it has not yet been taken.

There is another 250 planes on which IndiGo is yet to make the engine decision, he said adding IndiGo will continue to evaluate the options on both the available engines (P&W and CFM)) as it make that decision.

Philip also said that the airline had some issues with OTP in November and December last year and the airline has learn from that and accordingly has taken measures to do better.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey has said that the boroscopic inspections are now required at earlier frequency than later.

Following the incidents, the DGCA had directed IndiGo and GoAir to carry out inspections of the engines once they complete 1,000 hours of flying, instead of 1,500 hours as recommended by P&W.

The civil aviation watchdog has also called for repeat inspections every 500 hours thereafter.

He said that team from the P&W had met him, adding that the engine maker is separately looking at it (the engine problem).

Asserting that there is no issue related to safety at present, Choubey said "We will continue to do the inspections.

The examinations are going on. The quicker boroscopic examinations will ensure complete safety of the flying operations".

Source :Times Of Oman