Canceled flights blamed on supplier?

[Lee]

So does the math work here?

The newer engines burn 20% less fuel but have to be overhauled 3 times as often. Flights are then cancelled causing hardships on travelers because engines are not ready in time. So how this must make sense to someone. IDK.

 

Quote

 

MANILA, Philippines — Leading air carriers in the country are forced to cancel flights due to a lack of aircraft on the ground as a shortage in jet engines causes headaches to both local and international airlines.

Sources told The STAR that both Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific are experiencing delays in the delivery of jet engines from aviation supplier Pratt & Whitney.

Jet engines produced and distributed by Pratt & Whitney are used to run Airbus A320s and A321neos, which Cebu Pacific and PAL have 24 and eight, respectively.

PAL and Cebu Pacific are trying to minimize their carbon emissions in compliance with an international goal of becoming net zero by 2050.

As such, the airline resorted to using jet engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney as these equipment burn 20 percent less jet fuel.

Traditional jet engines can fly an aircraft for up to 3,000 hours before these are returned to the yard for overhaul.

The source said these Pratt & Whitney jet engines only last around 700 hours, making it necessary for airlines to return them to the supplier for repair more often.

“Normally, when engines are sent to the repair shop, they come back after 90 days, refreshed and like brand new. But since the aerospace industry is still grappling with supply chain problems brought by the pandemic, the line for engine repairs is long,” the source said.

“It is now taking airlines as long as nine months to get their Pratt & Whitney engines back from the shop,” the source added.

Read more:          Canceled flights blamed on supplier? (msn.com)    

 

 

[Gator]

3 hours ago, Lee said:

So does the math work here?

The newer engines burn 20% less fuel but have to be overhauled 3 times as often. Flights are then cancelled causing hardships on travelers because engines are not ready in time. So how this must make sense to someone. IDK.

 

 

I’m sure at the time the contracts were signed it made sense to the bean counters at the respective airlines. And since when did either PAL or the airline run by children ever care about their customers? 

[Lee]

35 minutes ago, Gator said:

I’m sure at the time the contracts were signed it made sense to the bean counters at the respective airlines.

Perhaps. If the lead time for building/buying these engines is 3-4 yrs let's say then this would date the contracts to when the price of fuel was perhaps half of what it is today.

 

3 hours ago, Lee said:

PAL and Cebu Pacific are trying to minimize their carbon emissions in compliance with an international goal of becoming net zero by 2050.

The stated goal in the article cited by the two airlines was to cut carbon emissions not saving money. IDK.

[Freebie]

Old adage here.. when in doubt blame someone else. Traffic accidents.. never the fault of the fool  who went  through the red light, other cars fault for being there in the first place etc.

 

Supply chain management is designed to stop these dumb situations. Still at least the poor maintenance schedule wasnt blamed on passengers.. they are saving that one for the next snafu.

 

[Freebie]

1 hour ago, Gator said:

I’m sure at the time the contracts were signed it made sense to the bean counters at the respective airlines. And since when did either PAL or the airline run by children ever care about their customers? 

I think its spelt  N    E    V    E     R.. or something like that. Lol

[Old55]

The average engine service life before rebuild is 10,000 hours.

I was curious about this and contacted a buddy who still works at Boeing.

It's true those newer Pratt & Whitney engines are having issues due to the coatings failing at the higher heat levels those efficient engines use. P&W are trying to ramp up production due to the AirBus and Boeing selling more aircraft. 

[Old55]

I'm going to guess that PAL and Cebu Pacific have cheaped out and not invested in enough spare engines. So now it's gonna bite them in the.......

My oldest step son works at Boeing he said they have to shuttle some Max off the line without engines. 

[GeoffH]

4 hours ago, Old55 said:

I'm going to guess that PAL and Cebu Pacific have cheaped out and not invested in enough spare engines. So now it's gonna bite them in the.......

My oldest step son works at Boeing he said they have to shuttle some Max off the line without engines. 

I tend to follow a number of aviation websites and blogs (because I used to fly) and this problem isn't restricted to just PAL and Cebu Pacific, many airlines (even some from western countries) are being caught by it.  There seems to be a lot of finger pointing going on but it's not clear to me who's actually caused the problems.

Edited June 21, 2023 by GeoffH

[Old55]

11 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

I tend to follow a number of aviation websites and blogs (because I used to fly) and this problem isn't restricted to just PAL and Cebu Pacific, many airlines (even some from western countries) are being caught by it.  There seems to be a lot of finger pointing going on but it's not clear to me who's actually caused the problems.

Some of the new Pratt & Whitney engines require rebuild much sooner than scheduled according to what I've read. The Renton assembly line is short of engines because P&W are not delivering on schedule. But some of that is Boeings fault due to their Just In Time debacle that they still won't admit is a failure. 

[Possum]

The merger of Boeing and Lockheed will haunt Boeing forever.