IndiGo grounds three A320 neo planes over engine woes, flight operations hit

No-frills airline IndiGo has grounded three A320 neo aircraft due to engine problems.

New Delhi: No-frills airline IndiGo has confirmed that it has grounded three A320 neo aircraft due to engine problems.

According to a statement released by the airline, IndiGo has withdrawn three A320 neo aircraft from service, effectively from February 9, 2018, due to the engine problems. 

The grounded aircraft are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.

"We confirm receiving the recommendations by Pratt & Whitney as well as EASA (European Aviation Safety Regulator) with respect to the A320 neo aircraft powered by PW1100G - JM engines. We have three aircraft with the particular engine configuration, which have been flagged by EASA", IndiGo said in a release.

Media reports also quoted a senior Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official saying the grounding of aircraft powered by Pratt and Whitney engines follows a directive from European aviation safety regulator EASA.

The EASA had on Friday issued an emergency airworthiness directive for A320 neo planes fitted with PW1100 engines having a particular serial number. 

The directive came in the wake of instances of the engine’s in-flight shut-downs and rejected take-offs involving A320 neo family planes, the DGCA official was quoted as saying.

The grounding of planes seems to have hit the airline's operations badly. At least four scheduled flights have been cancelled and at least six have been delayed.

“Our precautionary measure of grounding the three aircraft resulted in cancellations of some of our flights,” IndiGo said.

The grounding of the planes has also led to confusion among the airline's passengers as many of them didn’t know that several flights have been cancelled and arrived at the airport.

As per reports, the airline has cancelled at least four flights in Delhi.

Passengers have been asked to contact window D 10 at Terminal 1D for clarification.