Wizz Air says engine issues will reduce capacity by 10%

A global issue with some Airbus plane engines will reduce the capacity of Wizz Air by around one tenth according to an initial estimate, the business said.

Wizz Air said that its capacity would be 10% lower in the second half of the 2024 financial year, after aerospace supplier RTX said it would have to perform quality control on engines installed in hundreds of planes across the world.

RTX said on Monday that a “rare condition in powder metal used to manufacture certain engine parts” had necessitated the checks.

It said that 600-700 Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) engines would need to be removed to be examined between 2023 and 2026.

It added: “Pratt & Whitney is analysing the impact of powder metal on other engine models within its fleet, and other engine models currently are expected to be far less impacted.”

Wizz Air said the issue would end up grounding some of its aircraft.

The London-listed Hungarian airline told shareholders: “Wizz Air was informed by RTX that its Pratt & Whitney GTF engines will be subject to inspection intervals, resulting in engines being removed for shop visits during the remainder of 2023 and into 2024 that will likely cause some of its aircraft being grounded in this period.

“Wizz Air is currently assessing the implications to understand the extent of the impact on its fleet, with initial estimates indicating a potential capacity reduction of 10% for the second half of the 2024 financial year.”

It added: “Wizz Air will continue to work with Pratt & Whitney to minimise the impact to its fleet plan and costs to the business.

“The company continues to take proactive action to mitigate any financial and operational impact and will be seeking financial compensation from Pratt & Whitney.”