Lufthansa says engine woes ground third of A220 fleet in Zurich

Deutsche Lufthansa AG said a third of its Airbus SE A220 fleet in Zurich has been temporarily grounded because of issues with Pratt & Whitney engines, the latest sign of airlines wrestling with defects ahead of the crucial summer travel season.

The idling of the narrow-body aircraft is on top of three other “brand new” aircraft with Pratt engines that are also down, Lufthansa Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr said on call with analysts to discuss earnings. 

“Way down in their supply chains there are elements missing and companies need to rebuild their production facilities,” Spohr said.

Lufthansa operates 30 A220s at its Swiss subsidiary, implying about 10 aircraft are grounded at present. The company is considering ordering significantly more of the model as it renews its regional jet fleet, Bloomberg News has reported. 

Carriers around the world are dealing with a shortage of engines and spare parts, particularly on their latest-generation workhorse narrowbody jets. Suppliers to Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of the Raytheon Technologies Corp., have struggled with a backlog of subcomponent orders.

Go Airlines India Ltd. this week filed for insolvency protection, blaming failing Pratt & Whitney engines for grounding about half its fleet of Airbus aircraft at a time when demand for travel is soaring.