Latest news with #engineissues
Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Wizz Air abandons the Middle East over sand in engines
Wizz Air is retreating from the Middle East after sand in the plane's engines caused it to ground flights. The low-cost airline confirmed it will no longer operate from its hub in Abu Dhabi following a series of challenges in the region. It said the 'hot and harsh' climate had caused increased running costs for the carrier, as high temperatures and sand particles degraded its engines. It suspended some flights from Abu Dhabi last week, blaming reliability issues as part of a long-running problem with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines that power its Airbus A320 jets. Wear and tear related to the engines has led to mounting repair costs, with the disruption more severe in markets where large amounts of sand and dust are drawn into the turbines. Engines in these conditions can deteriorate up to three times faster, with the cost of maintenance making it difficult to offer cheaper flights. It has already been forced to ground some planes until next year because of engine problems. Bosses also blamed the decision on growing geopolitical instability in the region amid the conflict between Iran and Israel. It said volatility 'has led to repeated airspace closures and operational disruptions across the region, as well as wreaking consumer demand'. 'Environment has changed' Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between the Hungarian airline and the state-owned Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company, operates 12 aircraft and 23 routes, mostly to Eastern Europe. None of the routes fly to the UK. The company said it would stop flying from September and would leave the joint venture after that. It dropped plans for a Saudi subsidiary last year. The exit does not affect flights from its European hubs to the Middle East, including routes from London to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. József Váradi, Wizz Air's chief executive, said: 'We have had a tremendous journey in the Middle East and are proud of what we have built. 'However, the operating environment has changed significantly. Supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability and limited market access have made it increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions. 'While this was a difficult decision, it is the right one given the circumstances. We continue to focus on our core markets and on initiatives that enhance Wizz Air's customer proposition and build shareholder value.'
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Delta flight is forced to make emergency landing on remote volcanic island after engine trouble
A Delta flight was forced to make an emergency landing on a remote, volcanic island off the coast of Portugal after it reported experiencing engine troubles. The Airbus A330 was on route to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport from Madrid on Sunday when it had to make an emergency landing at Lajes Airport on Terceira Island. The island is in the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal that contains nine volcanic islands. There were 282 passengers and 13 crew members on board, all of whom safely disembarked at the airport in Terceira. 'As safety comes before all else at Delta, the flight crew followed procedures to divert to Lajes, Azores (TER) after indication of a mechanical issue with an engine,' said in a statement to FOX Business. 'The flight landed safely, and we sincerely apologize to our customers for their experience and delay in their travels.' Passengers were given hotel accommodations for the night and were flown back on another plane to New York the next day. That plane arrived late Monday evening. The Airbus A330 landed at Lajes Airport (pictured) on Terceira Island, which is part of the Azores, a series of nine volcanic islands Maintenance technicians are in the process of working on the aircraft, while Delta continues to reach out to affected passengers to apologize for what occurred and offer compensation.
Telegraph
05-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Wizz Air suffers £500m slump as engine troubles ground planes
Almost half a billion pounds has been wiped off the value of Wizz Air after engine troubles forced it to ground dozens of planes and triggered a slump in earnings. Wizz Air shares fell by more than 25pc on Wednesday after the low-cost airline said operating profit in the 12 months through to March had dropped to barely a third of the previous year's total. The slump saw the company's market capitalisation fall by £480m to £1.25bn. The Hungarian airline's problems stem from issues with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines that power Wizz's Airbus A320-series jets, problems that have plagued all operators that use these components. Wear and tear to the engines have left a significant chunk of Wizz's fleet idled at any one time as turbines are sent off for repair. The Pratt engine crisis, caused by the use of contaminated powdered metal during manufacturing, which causes components to crack, has affected more than 40 A320 operators. However, Wizz has been the worst hit in Europe. József Váradi, the chief executive of Wizz, said the company was forced to lease a dozen aircraft and 40 spare engines to fulfil its flight schedule and defend key markets. Only a proportion of these costs were covered by a compensation package from US-based Pratt, leading to the sharp drop in earnings. He said: 'We had to protect capacity in the strategic interests of the company. That has cost us a lot of money, but otherwise competitors would have taken those markets that we had invested in previously. 'Even then, we're simply not able to fly the total fleet as much as we would, which also comes with significant costs.' The measures pushed up overall expenses, excluding fuel, by 20pc. Operating profit fell from €438m (£369m) to just €168m, sending Wizz shares tumbling, while net income was lower than expected. Wizz also saw its operations curtailed by the conflict in Ukraine. While listed in London, the company is based in Hungary and is a leading carrier in several East European countries where the war has limited flights. Services to Israel, a major market for the airline, operated only intermittently in response to the fluctuating security situation. While Wizz predicted revenue would increase this year, it declined to provide profit guidance. Management also warned that Wizz was having to cut fares to attract customers. Mr Varadi said the fleet situation should ease in the next year. The number of planes grounded dropped from 42 at the end of March to 37 as of May 9 and should be reduced to 34 by September. Despite the recent setback, Wizz Air still has ambitious expansion plans. It has signed a deal for more than 300 Airbus jets worth more than $45m (£33m), to be delivered by the end of the decade. It has ordered the biggest 230-seat A321s in a bid to undercut larger rivals Ryanair and easyJet. Mr Varadi said Wizz Air could double the size of its British-based fleet from 20 planes to 40 if airport expansion plans go ahead as expected. Government backing for a second runway at Gatwick is expected to be given later this year, while plans for expansion of Luton, Wizz's biggest UK hub, were signed off by Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, in April.
