Japan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Respond to EU Inspections on Airbus A350-1000 Engines

By Lisa Barrington, Tim Hepher

SEOUL (Reuters) – Japan Airlines stated on Friday that it does not anticipate flight cancellations or delays. Virgin Atlantic mentioned efforts to minimize disruptions due to inspections mandated by the European air safety regulator on Airbus A350-1000 engines.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced on Thursday that Trent XWB-97 engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce should undergo checks following an engine fire experienced during a Cathay Pacific flight.

“Working with our customers and our supply chain, we are confident in our ability to deliver on the inspection regime,” stated Rolls-Royce.

Airlines questioned Airbus and Rolls-Royce during Thursday’s briefings regarding the availability of parts, as reported by an informed source.

Cathay Pacific, based in Hong Kong, canceled several flights earlier this week to inspect and repair A350 engines. This followed an incident where a Zurich-bound jet had to return to Hong Kong on Monday due to engine issues later identified as a fuel leak.

EASA granted airlines between three to thirty days to conduct visual checks and measurements on flexible fuel hose connections within A350-1000 engines. Notably, the A350-900 variant is exempt from this directive.

Japan Airlines inspected its whole A350-1000 and A350-900 fleets earlier this week, stating the need for additional inspections per EASA guidance and Rolls-Royce service instructions.

“No issues were found on any aircraft,” affirmed JAL in a statement.

Virgin Atlantic, which has 12 A350-1000 aircraft, acknowledged receipt of the EASA directive.

“Our engineering teams are working hard to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum and our customers can complete their journeys as planned,” stated the airline.

Qatar Airways, boasting the largest A350-1000 fleet, announced it was conducting inspections following the directives.

Etihad Airways, operating five A350-1000 jets, proactively began engine inspections before the directive and continues to comply with the new requirements.

“Etihad has discovered no issues, nor experienced any similar events with the engine, so does not anticipate any impact on its operations,” it reported.

British Airways, which also has A350-1000 aircraft, did not respond to Reuters’ request for a comment.

Technical Clarity

Industry sources identified the parts in question as supplied by Parker Hannifin (NYSE:PH), a leading supplier of specialized fuel systems.

The Parker Aerospace unit disclosed in 2008 that it secured contracts for supplying fuel and hydraulic systems for the A350, including components for engine feed. Parts requiring inspection are prefixed with PH, as listed by EASA.

Parker Hannifin did not immediately comment after EASA’s directive publication.

On prior inquiries regarding the affected parts, a company representative stated: “If called upon, we are ready to offer our support to the investigation of this matter.”

Cathay Pacific confirmed on Friday that maintenance activities on its A350 fleet are proceeding well, expecting completion by Saturday.

Accident investigators in Hong Kong, where Cathay is based, continue to investigate the incident.

Broker Jefferies noted in a client note that the engine issue is likely not widespread, with no significant regulatory action taken.

“With the faulty part identified as a fuel nozzle/hose, any necessary engine repairs, if deemed faulty, are expected to be limited and quickly resolved… This suggests minimal costs for Rolls-Royce,” it noted.