NEW DELHI: India will not ground the Airbus A320 Neo aircraft of IndiGo and GoAir which are powered by Pratt & Whitney’s (PW) snag-prone engines for now as this combination is used globally.
However, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Arun Kumar — who called an “urgent meeting” with the two airlines on Wednesday to review the recent spurt in PW snags — has warned that the regulator will take the ‘harshest’ of steps to ensure the safety of passengers which includes grounding the PW-powered Neos if needed.
“DGCA is continuously monitoring the performance of these engines and taking appropriate proactive measures as and when required including the grounding of aircraft in the interest of safety and further remedial measures if necessitated, will be taken. The operation of these aircraft/engines is considered safe globally. PW has been directed to ensure more availability of spare engines for Indian operators to prevent grounding of aircraft due to removal of engines….
