KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol) has confirmed it has been forced to make changes to its summer schedule after persistent engine issues grounded around half of KLM cityhopper's E195-E2s.
"These adjustments will affect flights scheduled to depart several months from now, allowing customers to be rebooked onto alternative flights well in advance, if necessary. KLM cityhopper is consulting with Embraer and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to seek a solution for these issues, which have no impact on flight safety," the Dutch carrier said.
Local aviation news website Luchtvaartnieuws.nl said the issue had prompted CEO Marjan Rintel to visit Brazil to discuss with the issues with Embraer.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows that KLM cityhopper operates fifteen E195-E2s and has a further 11 on firm order from the manufacturer. So far, the airline has only taken one this year (in January), with the remaining fourteen delivered in 2021 and 2022. Currently, only seven aircraft are active, while the remaining eight are in storage, some for nearly six months since December 2022, ch-aviation analysis of Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.
The Dutch carrier said that to minimise the impact of the groundings, it has since decided to extend the leases of some of its E190s of which KLM cityhopper currently operates thirty alongside seventeen E175s. The airline also wet-leases in additional capacity from German Airways (ZQ, Cologne/Bonn). The agreement covers up to five E190s, although so far, only two have been deployed into service with KLM. The aircraft will be based out of Düsseldorf, Stuttgart Manfred Rommel, Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg, CH, Aalborg, and Frankfurt International. German Airways said that it would continue ACMI operations on behalf of KLM beyond the current summer schedule.
