Aviation

Cathay Pacific Grounds entire A350 Fleet Over Engine Defect, Cancels Multiple Flights

Cathay Pacific Grounds A350 Fleet Over Engine Defect, Cancels Multiple Flights

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways has taken the unprecedented step of grounding its entire Airbus A350 fleet following the in-flight failure of an engine component on one of its aircraft.

The incident occurred on a flight from Hong Kong to Zurich, where an a350-1000 model was forced to return to Hong Kong on Monday morning due to the engine issue. In response to the incident, Cathay Pacific swiftly inspected all 48 of its Rolls-Royce-powered A350 aircraft, uncovering that 15 of them required component replacements.

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The airline confirmed that three of these aircraft had already undergone successful repairs. Despite the urgency of the situation, Cathay Pacific has stated that it expects all affected jets to return to service by Saturday.

As a result of these inspections and necessary repairs, Cathay Pacific has had to cancel at least 34 round-trip flights, affecting routes to major destinations including Bangkok, Tokyo, Taipei, and Osaka. This disruption has caused significant inconvenience to passengers and highlights the airline’s commitment to safety and precaution.

The airline revealed that the engine component failure identified on the Zurich-bound flight was the first of its kind to occur on any a350 size comparison aircraft worldwide. This led to a precautionary fleet-wide inspection, which confirmed the need for immediate component replacements on multiple aircraft. Each of the grounded planes is undergoing rigorous inspection and maintenance, with cleared aircraft returning to service as repairs are completed.

Cathay Pacific, one of the largest operators of the A350, has been working closely with Rolls-Royce, the engine manufacturer, and relevant authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly. Rolls-Royce has expressed its commitment to supporting the investigation and ensuring the safety and reliability of the engines.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.