The Indian aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has directed IndiGo and GoAir to ground a total of 11 A320neo aircraft fitted with Pratt and Whitney engines. The action follows the emergency landing of an Indigo A320neo at Ahmedabad this morning shortly after take-off due to an engine failure.

DGCA said: “Both IndiGo and GoAir have been told not to refit these engines, which are spare with them in their inventory.”

On February 9, 2018, European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive [view here] regarding A320neo PW1100 fleet, which requires aircraft that have had two engines affected within three flight cycles to be grounded and also restricts ETOPS operations for an aeroplane having at least one affected engine(s) installed. On February 21, Pratt & Whitney released a revised configuration as a solution to the issue relating to a knife edge seal on the High Pressure Compressor (HPC) aft hub, which is the problem that has affected a limited subpopulation of the PW1100G-JM engine on the A320neo aircraft.

The solution, which has received all necessary regulatory approvals, has begun to be implemented by Pratt & Whitney, which says that it is continuing to work with Airbus and its mutual airline customers to minimize operational disruption.

Also in India, more – albeit unconfirmed – reports are emerging that a consortium comprised of Jet Airways, Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines is considering a bid for Air India. The Indian government is expected to go ahead with the strategic divestment of the company and invite Expression of Interest (EoI) from bidders soon. Indigo has also been reported as an interested bidder with an “unidentified foreign airline”.

Air India, Air India Express and subsidiary AISATS (a joint venture between Air India and Singapore Airlines’ group entity SATS) are expected to be offered as one entity, with Alliance Air as a separate entity. Air India Air Transport Services Ltd (AIATSL) and Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) will also be sold separately.