Cathay Pacific Inspects A350 Jets After Engine Issue

By Joanna Plucinska and Tim Hepher
(Reuters) – Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways announced on Monday it began inspecting all its Airbus A350 jets following an engine component failure during flight. This incident caused a significant drop in shares of British engine supplier Rolls-Royce.

The airline canceled 24 return flights scheduled until the end of Tuesday and stated that several aircraft would remain out of service for days while precautionary inspections were conducted.

An Airbus spokesperson redirected inquiries to Cathay and Rolls-Royce, which confirmed awareness of the incident and pledged cooperation with the investigation alongside Cathay, Airbus, and other authorities.

Rolls-Royce’s shares fell more than 6%, negatively impacting Europe’s defense and aerospace index by 2.8%.

According to data from Flightradar24, the incident occurred shortly after takeoff. Flight CX383, en route over the sea south of Hong Kong, made two wide circles before returning safely about 75 minutes post-departure instead of continuing to Zurich.

Cathay did not provide specifics about the failed component, only mentioning it was the first of its kind to fail in any A350 globally. The airline indicated it had identified multiple similar components requiring replacement and had secured spare parts.

Reports suggested the incident involved a fuel nozzle issue, a part that directs fuel in the engine. Experts indicated such failures are uncommon and typically pose fewer risks compared to major rotating component failures, though broad inspections could disrupt operations.

Investigation in Hong Kong

Sources revealed that Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority had initiated an investigation promptly. The authority could not be contacted for comments outside office hours. Additionally, Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch stated it would support the Hong Kong investigation.

Flightradar24 identified the affected aircraft as an A350-1000, equipped with Rolls’ XWB-97 engine. Cathay operates 18 A350-1000s, part of a fleet including Airbus and Boeing aircraft. British Airways also manages 18 A350-1000 jets, while Qatar Airways is the largest operator.

No other airlines reported similar issues, and other A350-1000 operators did not respond immediately to inquiries. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is closely monitoring the situation but has not yet determined any fleet-wide checks or repairs. A spokesperson mentioned that actions would be based on findings from the ongoing technical investigation.

In total, Cathay has 48 A350 jets, including the A350-900 variant that utilizes a different Rolls-Royce engine model, the XWB-84. The airline has about 100 planes on order, covering various types, including freighters and narrow- and wide-body aircraft, with options for an additional 80 planes.