AUA’s parent company Lufthansa has had to take 20 A320neo aircraft out of service due to the recall of the engines from manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, according to CEO Carsten Spohr. Spohr said this at a US Chamber of Commerce aviation conference in Washington on Tuesday. He said maintenance subsidiary Lufthansa Technik will provide its services to both the manufacturer and the affected airlines.
US aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney, which is owned by Raytheon Technologies (RTX), has had to recall hundreds of engines to workshops due to material defects. The affected PW1100G-JM GTF engines are frequently used on Airbus A320neo models. In particular, it is about production defects in powder metal, which lead to the replacement of high-pressure turbine discs.
Many airlines are affected by the recall, which comes at an inopportune time for the industry given the recovery of air traffic from the Corona crisis and the pre-existing shortage of new aircraft.
