Air New Zealand announced on Tuesday that alterations to the maintenance timetable of Pratt & Whitney's RTX engines could cause substantial disruptions to the airline's operations for a period of up to two years. The airline had previously indicated in October that there would be a minor financial impact in the first half of 2024 due to this engine problem. Pratt & Whitney announced in July that over 1,000 engines would need to be detached from Airbus aircraft for inspection of potential microscopic cracks.
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In September, Air New Zealand cautioned that these engine inspections would significantly affect its flight schedule starting next year. The airline revealed plans to suspend flights between Auckland and Hobart from April 5 next year and also intends to halt services between Auckland and Seoul starting in April.
Due to engine maintenance issues, the airline may have to ground up to four aircraft at any given time. To mitigate this, the airline is considering leasing additional aircraft, with the latest leased 777-367ER aircraft set to commence service soon.
Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran stated that the company is also dealing with other supply chain issues that airlines worldwide are facing as it seeks to put additional fleet cover in place. The airline's fleet of 108 aircraft includes 17 A320/321neo jets, which service Australia, the Pacific Island markets, and the domestic market in New Zealand.
