Low-cost airline Go-First is planning to sue Raytheon Technologies, parent of US-based engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney (PW) for failing to pay due compensation since March 2020. Go First fleet is operating with a 27% shortage in its fleet as planes remain grounded due to the delay in engine supplies from PW as reported by Business Standard (BS).
Go First uses PW-1100G geared turbofan (GTF) engines for nearly 90% of its aircraft. The airline carrier has grounded 23-24 out of its fleet of 55 due to engine woes causing loss to the aircraft carrier. PW and Go First had signed a deal for the supply of engines to 72 A320neo aircraft in 2019. The conditions of the deal included a comprehensive service agreement which mandated compensation from the engine provider if Go First had maintenance issues.
While the agreement estimated 12,000 flying hours life for the engines, Go First is having to replace the engines after 7,000 miles which is just more than half the projected lifetime of the engine. These untimely maintenance problems have significantly cost Go First as the unscheduled engine problems have disrupted operations.
The engine supply delay has significantly impacted Go First’s flight frequency. Go First can schedule 1,642 weekly flights in March 2023 against 2,084 weekly flights in March 2022 according to the Cirium report quoted by BS. The decline in Go First flights is against the boom in the aircraft sector which witnessed an increase in weekly domestic flights from 19,220 in March 2022 to 21,328 weekly flights in March this year.
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