The aircraft was originally expected to be delivered to Qatar Airways by the end of a year ago – but this was delayed due to problems with the plane’s engines, hydraulics and operating software.
Advertisement
After months of delays, Qatar Airways has today cancelled the delivery of the first AIRBUS GROUP SE (OTCMKTS: EADSY) A320 Neo aircraft.
In response, the USA engine manufacturer has hit back at al Baker’s claims stating the PW1100G had been “fully certified”, and met performance and contract specifications. “This is why we are screaming because it is making a huge impact on my bottom line”, Al Baker said at the International Air Transport Association annual meeting in Dublin. But it could represent an opportunity for Boeing and General Electric (GE) and French engine-maker Safran, who run a joint venture that also produces an engine for jet. Pratt & Whitney in a statement said Al Baker’s remarks were “inaccurate and mischaracterize the performance of the engine”.
The A320neo aircraft uses Pure Power PW1100G-JM engines manufactured by Pratt and Whitney which is a subordinate company of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX).
United Technologies has staked a lot on what it calls its geared turbofan engine. Other problems with the engines have followed. “We have resolved the very few initial teething items airlines have experienced”, Pratt said.
The Pratt and Whitney engines haven been taking longer than normal to cool down before they can be re-started.
Advertisement
Qatar Airways is known in the airline industry “to be a particularly exacting customer”, but canceling an aircraft order due to performance concerns signals that an airline “has lost confidence in the aircraft configuration”, he said. One is switching to the current version of the 737 from Boeing Co. He said he expects Airbus to deliver 10 of the planes as promised this year and that he had met with the CEO of Airbus’s planemaking unit, Fabrice Bregier, and programme executive Didier Evrard on Thursday to “iron out the issues”.
