Dozens of Cathay Pacific flights axed due to faulty A350 engine component

Cathay Pacific Airways has canceled several flights due to ongoing maintenance on its Airbus A350 fleet, following the discovery of a faulty engine component. This issue has led to the cancellation of ten flights from Singapore to Hong Kong, originally scheduled for yesterday and today, according to Singaporean media reports.

Additionally, eight flights from Hong Kong to Singapore were canceled over the same period, alongside dozens of other flights across the Asia-Pacific region, the airline announced yesterday.

The cancellations follow an incident involving an engine part that failed shortly after one of Cathay Pacific’s A350 aircraft took off from Hong Kong on Monday. As a result, the airline has decided to inspect its entire A350 fleet.

Cathay Pacific stated that maintenance on the fleet is “progressing well.” The airline identified 15 aircraft with the affected engine component, three of which have already been successfully repaired. The remaining aircraft will remain out of service until repairs are completed and they are cleared for operation.

Passengers affected by the cancellations have been notified and offered alternative travel options. The airline has also waived ticket change fees, including rebooking and rerouting charges, to facilitate travel plan adjustments.

Today’s cancellations include flights between Hong Kong and cities such as Sydney, Osaka, Tokyo, Taipei, Bangkok, and Singapore. One flight from Seoul to Hong Kong has been canceled for Thursday. Cathay Pacific advises travelers to check its website for the latest flight information.

According to Bloomberg, Cathay Pacific has found the faulty engine component in 15 aircraft across the A350-900 and A350-1000 variants. No other airline has reported similar issues so far. The cause of the defect is still unknown, with possible scenarios including heat from the engine, a pinched fuel hose, or misinstallation, according to Darryl Chan of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

Cathay Pacific noted that this is the first reported failure of the engine component in any A350 aircraft worldwide. Other airlines, including Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines, are inspecting their fleets as a precaution. Deutsche Lufthansa AG is also closely monitoring the situation.

Cathay Pacific expects to have all affected aircraft repaired and back in service by Saturday. MDT/Agencies