Grounded Airbus Aircraft To Return

Airbus single-aisle aircraft currently grounded and or unable to operate efficiently are expected to return to service sooner rather than later.

Aegean Airlines, based in Greece, published its second quarter and first half 2025 financial results and confirmed updates to the fleet.

Wth a 4% increase in passenger traffic and increased revenue, the net profit after tax jumped by 109% as well to signify the development of the business.

However, regarding the aircraft and the A320neo family, which have been affected by the global engine crisis, a timeline has been established to emerge from this dark period with the program.

Aegean says that over the next 24 to 28 months, there’ll be an expected cycle of accelerated inspections for the affected Pratt & Whitney engines to be conducted.

As a result of these inspections, the hope is that the aircraft and engines will be cleared to return to service, and therefore all of the new units will see their full operational capacity restored.

Fleet data shows that Aegean has nine Airbus A320neo aircraft parked, which is just shy of the 12 that are currently active, highlighting the sheer scale of the engine challenges taking place.

The carrier also operates the A321neo, where 12 units remain in service, just like the A320neo, but with three units parked, a lower number, but still enough to impact the airline’s operation with the narrowbody.

For Aegean, the return of these Airbus aircraft will be a significant milestone, providing much-needed relief to the network and enabling growth and improvement in unit costs moving forward.

The easing of the grounded Airbus aircraft will also align with the arrival of new planes from the manufacturer during he same period, with the addition of six A321 XLR/LR aircraft to enable growth beyond the EU, such as more distant destinations.

The first step will involve entering the Indian market for Aegean, a development that has already been announced and marks a new era for the company as it targets growth.

Airbus Faces The Engine Woes With Airlines

The Pratt & Whitney engine crisis has not spared many airlines around the world operating with next-generation Airbus single-aisle aircraft.

For these companies, the challenges that have arisen have been frustrating enough; however, there have been times when communication with the engine manufacturer has been lacking.

While no airline would ideally want something to cause groundings, the lack of an ability to stick to a timeframe impacts planning from a fleet and network standpoint.

Whether it has been Spirit Airlines, Air New Zealand, or Aegean Airlines, they have all battled these engine struggles and have all been forced to cope with the obstacles in different ways.

These new engine models, on paper, are game changers and, for many airlines, have not just been purchased as a like-for-like replacement for the previous generation of single-aisles but also to grow and meet emerging demand.

Unfortunately, while the aircraft on paper remain fantastic, their operational downsides, driven strictly by the engine crisis, have meant that even several years after taking delivery of these aircraft, these airlines have been unable to enjoy a period where the program has not been impacted to a certain extent.