In response to the grounding of #A320 family Aircraft, one of the confirmed sources has revealed that Indigo has successfully secured additional Boeing 777 aircraft as an interim solution to address its shortage of narrow-body planes.
Pratt & Whitney Engine issues
The airline is currently grappling with challenges related to Pratt & Whitney engine issues, which have been deemed unsafe for flight until rectified. Indigo has taken proactive measures by entering into contracts with alternative engine manufacturers to replace the faulty engines.
However, this course of action may pose financial challenges for Indigo in the near future. To navigate this situation and maintain its presence in the domestic market, Indigo is strategically planning to incorporate more wide-body aircraft into its fleet.
Indigo to add more B777 aircraft
IndiGo (6E) has been granted approval by the Indian Aviation regulator to operate wide-body aircraft, specifically two Boeing 777-300ERs. With the anticipation of over 30 additional aircraft being grounded in Q4 (January-March 24), Indigo may explore acquiring more aircraft through wet leases as a supplementary measure.
While regulatory constraints typically limit wet leasing for capacity or route expansion of passenger services, exceptions can be made for situations such as covering unexpected aircraft groundings. In this context, Indigo (6E) may consider further wet leasing of wide-body aircraft to mitigate the challenges associated with the ongoing capacity crunch.
IndiGo has confirmed the grounding of some A320 aircraft due to engine faults, with plans for swift resolution. Globally, approximately 600-700 incremental engines face accelerated inspections and shop visits from 2023 to 2026, with two-thirds targeted for removal in 2023 and early 2024.
Additional details from Pratt & Whitney highlight a powder metal issue. Preliminary assessments suggest an anticipated mid-thirties Aircraft on Ground (AOG) in the fourth quarter (Jan-Mar 2024) due to accelerated engine removals
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