NEW DELHI – India’s biggest airline Indigo and Go first has grounded as many as 50 of its aircraft due to multiple reasons.
The planes operated by IndiGo and Go First have been put out of operation due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues, aided by ongoing challenges in the supply chain.
Sources close to the development disclosed that the airlines are now considering options such as wet leasing of aircraft to minimize disruptions caused by the situation.
The aviation giant is also mulling to place the order regarding Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines with a different firm so that disruptions could be avoided in future.
An official statement from P&W which is a US-based aerospace manufacturer said it was facing supply chain issues to replace engines for Indian customers.
“We’re experiencing global supply chain challenges which are limiting the availability of structural castings and other parts. We’re progressing on our mitigation strategies with our supply base and expanding MRO network capacity while continuing hardware and software upgrades to extend engine time on the wing. At the same time, we’re coordinating closely with customers on solutions to minimize operational disruption. We expect supply chain pressures to ease later this year, which will support the output of both production and MRO engines,” a P&W spokesperson said.
The airline came into being back in 2005 and rose to become the biggest flag carrier of the country currently serving over 100 countries. The domestic market share of the firm is over 50 percent as of October 2022.
G First made headlines recently after as many as over 50 passengers were left high and dry as they found themselves ready to board the firm’s plane which had already left in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.
A flight by ‘Go First’ took off from the airport in Bengaluru city, forgetting over 50 passengers in the tarmac (bus). Interestingly, the passengers had checked in their baggage and even had boarding passes.
