Indigo Forced To Ground More Aircraft

The continued Pratt & Whitney engine crisis is impacting more and more carriers around the world.

Indigo is now the latest carrier to announce an extension of potential groundings of jets following issues.

30 More Aircraft To Be Impacted

Indigo announced that it believes 30 further aircraft will be impacted in the fourth quarter alone.

As a result of the additional groundings, this would now bring the total close to 100 units.

Component cracking is the crucial catalyst of all of this as an impact of a powder metal defect being identified. Inspections will thus be required on the airline’s aircraft.

We have recently received additional information on the powder metal issue from Pratt & Whitney, and based on our preliminary assessment of this, we anticipate Aircraft on Ground (AOG) in the range of mid-thirties in the fourth quarter (Jan-Mar 2024) due to accelerated engine removals. These groundings will be incremental to the current AOGs.

Statement released by Indigo

Leasing Planes To Combat Groundings

Finding ways to mitigate the grounding effects is becoming increasingly difficult for each carrier.

Some airlines are in a position where leasing can be a means out. However, others struggle to source the aircraft required and, as a result, have to suspend routes and alter their overall schedule.

For Indigo, however, they’ve dipped heavily into the leasing market to lessen some of the blows felt by the groundings.

The major Indian airline is slated to increase overall measures, such as obtaining aircraft from the second-hand market on a lease. They also plan on extending the lease of current planes in their operation.

Pratt & Whitney’s engine crisis will continue for years as inspections occur across a global fleet.

The Indigo Fleet

Indigo operates a fleet of currently 297 in-service planes, per the latest data from Cirium.

Interestingly, 114 A320neos remain in service, but Cirium says that 34 are in storage and thus parked.

The A321neo series meanwhile sees 83 aircraft in service, with 11 units currently parked.