Editorial | Right call by Hong Kong’s Cathay as it puts safety first in A350 engine drama
Rival airlines now following city carrier that grounded dozens of jets after finding fault in component
Flight cancellations are never welcome and Hong Kong’s flag carrier has in recent months been criticised for an alarming number of scrapped schedules as it seeks to return to pre-Covid passenger capacity. However, this week’s grounding of dozens of Cathay Pacific Airways flights after the carrier found a potential global safety problem may ironically prove to be a good thing.
Cathay was the first airline to raise the alarm about what appears to be an issue with a component of engines, made by UK-based Rolls-Royce, on Airbus A350 jets. It came to light after a Zurich-bound flight had to return to Hong Kong on Monday because of an engine problem, which was later traced to a fuel leak.
The carrier ordered inspections and confirmed engine issues with 15 of the 48 aircraft in its A350 fleet. As a result, dozens of regional flights had to be scrapped, but long-haul flights were not affected.
The swift action by Cathay sounded a global alert that may have averted an accident. Some carriers, including Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines, are checking their own A350 fleets.
On the mainland, state-run carrier Air China has cancelled some domestic flights and is planning general inspections of its A350 fleet. Other carriers are awaiting further guidance.
