Almost A Fifth Of Airbus A220s Are Grounded Due To Engine Issues
Airlines are taking significant measures to address problems affecting the global Airbus A220 fleet. Despite promising operational performance and passenger experience, the A220 has faced challenges over recent years.
Main Cause: Pratt & Whitney GTF Engine Corrosion
The primary issue stems from corrosion damage in the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, linked to a production defect. This problem has forced airlines to ground some aircraft for necessary maintenance and repairs.
Current Fleet Status
According to data from ch-aviation as of November, nearly 20% of the worldwide Airbus A220 fleet is grounded. Of the 451 A220s considered (excluding retired or incomplete units), 76 are inactive, representing about 16.85% of the fleet.
An RTX spokesperson confirmed that 7% of these grounded aircraft are specifically due to engine-related problems.
Impact On Specific Models and Airlines
The smaller Airbus A220-100 model, which originated as the Bombardier CS100 before Airbus acquired the program, has 60 active and 11 inactive aircraft. Among the inactive, seven are undergoing maintenance:
- Five at Delta Air Lines
- One at Bulgaria Air
- One at Croatia Airlines
The remaining four aircraft are in storage, divided evenly between:
- Two at ITA Airways
- Two at SWISS
Summary
The Airbus A220 faces operational setbacks largely due to Pratt & Whitney engine corrosion, causing a significant portion of the fleet to remain grounded as airlines work on repairs.