India’s largest domestic carrier IndiGo has completed the mandatory upgrade of all old Pratt & Whitney (P&W) twin engines in its Airbus A320neo fleet. The airline has 106 such planes.
This was completed before the August 31 deadline set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), sources told Mint. One source added that the Wadia Group-led GoAir – which is also due to replace the engines is unlikely to complete the process in time.
Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.
GoAir planes that still have the P&W engines post the deadline will not be allowed to operate, the source added. The airline will eventually be forced to make the modifications in all its A320neo planes – numbering 43, the report said.
A spokesperson for P&W confirmed to the paper that replacement for IndiGo’s A320neo fleet has been completed and they are “working with GoAir to schedule the remaining few” left.
“All aircraft operating in India today fly with upgraded GTF engines," the spokesperson added.
The upgrade order was given by the aviation regulator in October after repeated incidents with P&W engines powering the Airbus A320neos. IndiGo was initially asked to modify engines which were used for over 2,900 hours by November 12. This was for 16 planes of the carrier.
The deadline was then extended till January-end after the regulator asked for all P&W engines to be replaced with modified engines, failing which the fleet would be grounded. GoAir was asked to replace the engines without modifications.
The deadline was then extended again to May 31 and then subsequently to August 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
IndiGo and GoAir did not respond to queries, the report stated.
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