Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie expressed disappointment on Thursday as the carrier announced that it would have to ground seven Airbus A320neo planes until the end of the year due to issues with Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engines. This comes after RTX, the owner of the engine manufacturer, revealed during an earnings call that several Airbus jets would need to undergo engine removal and inspection due to a quality control problem. RTX explained that a rare condition in the powder metal used to produce certain parts between late 2015 and mid-2021 necessitated accelerated fleet inspections. The affected engine is commonly utilized to power the popular midsize jet, Airbus A320neo, often flown on short and medium-distance flights. RTX estimated that around 200 Pratt & Whitney PW1100 engines would need inspection by mid-September, with an additional 1,000 engines requiring checks within the next nine to 12 months. As a result of this issue, Spirit Airlines will ground seven of its Airbus A320neo planes for inspection, impacting the airline’s September revenue significantly. According to Christie, Spirit has 13 engines in the initial group identified by Pratt & Whitney for inspection. Removal is planned to begin after Labor Day. Spirit Airlines is the largest operator of GTF-powered NEO planes in the U.S. Christie mentioned that they would have a better understanding by mid- to late-September if more engines would need to be removed. He expressed frustration and disappointment over this new development, stating that it adds to the financial challenges faced by the airline, including weather issues and air traffic control obstacles.
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