New Delhi: A GoAir operated Airbus A320 Neo (new engine option) aircraft was on Monday forced to turn back to Guwahati, while flying to Kolkata, due to engine snags, highlighting safety concerns associated with the Pratt & Whitney (PW) engines that power the aircraft, sources told Mint.
When contacted, GoAir said that its flight G8 546, operating between Guwahati to Kolkata did an air turn back due to a technical glitch.
“After turn back, the flight landed safely at Kolkata airport with 132 passengers on board,” the airline said adding that the aircraft is being inspected and rectified by its engineering team.
The latest incident comes amidst heightening safety concerns, primarily due to a series of snags with PW powered Airbus A320 Neo planes, which make up for a large portion of GoAir’s fleet. IndiGo, the largest domestic airline, is also facing similar engine issues.
On 22 December, a GoAir A320neo aircraft headed to Chandigarh from Mumbai had to abandon its journey mid-air because of engine vibrations.
Meanwhile, Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has intensified safety checks following a spate of incidents amongst airlines in India, though these have been classified as preventive steps. At present, the number of A320neo aircraft engines with potential safety problems has risen to more than 130 in India.
Wadia Group-controlled GoAir currently has 54 aircraft in its fleet which include 38 Airbus A320neo and 16 A320ceo planes. All Airbus A320 Neo planes operated by the airline are powered by PW engines.
Source: Livemint
