Pratt & Whitney will deliver repaired PW1100G engines to each of IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi International) and GoAir (Mumbai International) by the end of April, allowing the carriers to resume full operations of their A320neo fleet partially grounded due to the power unit issues, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) President Robert F. Leduc has said during an investor call.

It is recalled that in mid-March the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an order to each of the LCCs to the effect of grounding eight of IndiGo's A320neos and three of GoAir's aircraft of the type. The move was a reaction to the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) issued in February by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that warned of In-Flight engine Shut-Downs (IFSD) and Rejected Take-Off (RTO) events for select Pratt & Whitney PW1100 Geared Turbo Fan-powered A320neo/A321neo aircraft.

Pratt & Whitney is confident that the issues related to the knife edge seal on the modified aft hub of the high-pressure compressors will not impact the manufacturer's annual target.

"Admittedly, the timing is a little bit skewed because of the first quarter and having to rework engines, but we will catch that up primarily by the end of the third quarter. the fleet will be completely back in the sky by the end of April," Leduc has said, promising that the manufacturer will meet its yearly contractual obligations towards Airbus.

Leduc has added that 55 engines previously delivered to Airbus needed to be recalled and reworked by the manufacturer.