Cathay Pacific has announced the cancellation of several flights over the next few days due to necessary engine inspections on its Airbus A350 fleet. This action comes in response to an incident involving an A350-1000, which was forced to return to Hong Kong shortly after departing for Zurich on 2 September. The flight, CX383, landed back in Hong Kong just 1 hour and 15 minutes after take-off.
The airline has identified an “engine component failure” in the aircraft, marking it as the first instance of such a failure in any A350 globally. All A350s in Cathay’s fleet are equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, with the -1000 model featuring the XWB-97 variant.
In response to the issue, Cathay Pacific has launched a comprehensive fleetwide inspection of its 48 A350s and has informed Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and civil aviation regulators. The specific component that failed has not been disclosed. The airline has secured spare parts and initiated repair work but expects several aircraft to be out of service for the coming days, which will impact its operating schedule.
Cathay Pacific has cancelled 24 return flights scheduled between 2 and 4 September. The airline assures that it is adhering to all maintenance requirements set by Rolls-Royce and has implemented rigorous procedures to ensure the safety of its fleet.
Keith Brown, Director of Engineering, emphasised that each aircraft is undergoing a thorough inspection. Those cleared for operation will resume service promptly, while aircraft with further technical issues will undergo additional repairs and maintenance.
