Amid ongoing litigation with Go First, P&W opens up on all contours of 'faulty engines’ claim
Maintaining that the litigation with Go First was purely a commercial and contractual dispute, the US engine maker Pratt & Whitney said it is examining all legal options to take the matter to its logical conclusion
- May 19, 2023,
- Updated May 19, 2023 8:48 PM IST
Terming the claim made by the domestic low-cost carrier (LCC) Go First that faulty engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney led it to file for voluntary bankruptcy as well as suspend operations as unsubstantiated, the US engine maker has said that it is examining all legal options to take the matter to its logical conclusion.
Representatives of the Connecticut-based company, while declining to elaborate on the proposed legal strategy categorically, told Business Today during an exclusive interaction Friday, “While we cannot comment on the specifics of our legal recourse, we will vigorously defend ourselves against Go First’s allegations that Pratt & Whitney is responsible for its financial condition, which is without merit.”
Requesting anonymity on grounds of the matter being sub judice, P&W officials clarified that the current supply chain issues, the earlier upgrades to the contentious geared turbofan engine (GTF) engine and the business disputes with Go First were all separate matters and must, therefore, not be bunched together as “engine issues”.
“The GTF engine’s performance has never been in question. It remains the most efficient option for the Airbus A320neo, delivering the fuel efficiency and emission reductions that airlines need,” another official spoken to for this story claimed.
The person further added that the company had upgraded all next-generation PW1100G-JM engines in service, ahead of the 2020 deadline. The retrofit involved upgrading the low-pressure turbine (LPT) with a more durable configuration, with the company’s all newly produced and overhauled engines incorporating this enhancement.
Addressing a litany of accusations
In a May 6 note, the Mumbai-headquartered Go First had alleged the engines displayed a multitude of defects and a high failure rate from the very start. These included software and combustor problems, leading the airline to remove the first GTF engine installed on a newly delivered aircraft due to erosion of the combustor chamber also called combustor chamber distress.
Other issues such as problems with the engines’ software, start-up times, starter, main gearbox and fan blades were also mentioned. Between 2016 and February 2023, the LCC said it carried out 510 GTF engine removals, including 289 engine changes as a result of at least 28 different defects, and 221 engine swaps.
Responding to a question on the engine’s durability, a third P&W official said the company had constantly worked to improve the time on the wing since the initiation of the engine programme.
“As with any engine development programme, especially with the technology that’s new and revolutionary like the geared architecture, we continue to develop solutions to improve engine durability,” the person said, adding, “The GTF is ultimately the most efficient engine in the market and allows customers to enjoy fuel savings of 16 per cent while also delivering 50 per cent lower emissions.”
The A320neo fleet of aircraft with Indian carriers IndiGo and Go First that were using the engines had despatch reliability of 99.98 per cent, which was among the world’s best, according to P&W. This had enabled them to save costs in excess of $500 million.
Talking about the impact of supply chain disruptions, one of the officials informed the company expected the situation to start easing by late 2023 to support an increased supply of new and overhauled engines.
“In the interim, we are providing direct logistical support to our suppliers. We are expanding our maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity and working to reduce shop visit turnaround times to improve service,” the person said.
This would also help in improving the situation vis-à-vis aircraft-on-ground (AoG). Go First had alleged a spike in the grounding of aircraft following the delivery of a second batch of A320neos beginning in November 2019, due to a problem with low-pressure turbine (LPT) blades.
In a salvo fired more recently, the airline had claimed that apart from 28 of its A320neo aircraft, around 50 aircraft of Indigo and 20 turboprop aircraft of Spice Jet were also grounded due to issues with P&W’s engines.
Dispute purely commercial and contractual
Maintaining that the Go First litigation was purely a commercial and contractual dispute, the officials said P&W was already complying with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) order seeking the company to take all reasonable steps for despatch of engines to the LCC.
Referring to the company’s seven decades in the Indian market, they reiterated the company would remain invested in the country’s aviation growth story and its customers’ success.
Meanwhile, industry sources confirmed to BT that Go First had often reneged on financial commitments to P&W. Thus, the carrier’s decision to pursue litigation despite obtaining a favourable ruling in SIAC had left many puzzled. The aggression displayed since May 2 by the airline promoted by the more than 250-year-old Wadia group may have been prompted by a desire to jump the queue for engines over other customers.
They also felt the airline’s stated claim of seeking a staggering $1.1 billion in damages from P&W would have to be amply substantiated in foreign jurisdictions.
Terming the claim made by the domestic low-cost carrier (LCC) Go First that faulty engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney led it to file for voluntary bankruptcy as well as suspend operations as unsubstantiated, the US engine maker has said that it is examining all legal options to take the matter to its logical conclusion.
Representatives of the Connecticut-based company, while declining to elaborate on the proposed legal strategy categorically, told Business Today during an exclusive interaction Friday, “While we cannot comment on the specifics of our legal recourse, we will vigorously defend ourselves against Go First’s allegations that Pratt & Whitney is responsible for its financial condition, which is without merit.”
Requesting anonymity on grounds of the matter being sub judice, P&W officials clarified that the current supply chain issues, the earlier upgrades to the contentious geared turbofan engine (GTF) engine and the business disputes with Go First were all separate matters and must, therefore, not be bunched together as “engine issues”.
“The GTF engine’s performance has never been in question. It remains the most efficient option for the Airbus A320neo, delivering the fuel efficiency and emission reductions that airlines need,” another official spoken to for this story claimed.
The person further added that the company had upgraded all next-generation PW1100G-JM engines in service, ahead of the 2020 deadline. The retrofit involved upgrading the low-pressure turbine (LPT) with a more durable configuration, with the company’s all newly produced and overhauled engines incorporating this enhancement.
Addressing a litany of accusations
In a May 6 note, the Mumbai-headquartered Go First had alleged the engines displayed a multitude of defects and a high failure rate from the very start. These included software and combustor problems, leading the airline to remove the first GTF engine installed on a newly delivered aircraft due to erosion of the combustor chamber also called combustor chamber distress.
Other issues such as problems with the engines’ software, start-up times, starter, main gearbox and fan blades were also mentioned. Between 2016 and February 2023, the LCC said it carried out 510 GTF engine removals, including 289 engine changes as a result of at least 28 different defects, and 221 engine swaps.
Responding to a question on the engine’s durability, a third P&W official said the company had constantly worked to improve the time on the wing since the initiation of the engine programme.
“As with any engine development programme, especially with the technology that’s new and revolutionary like the geared architecture, we continue to develop solutions to improve engine durability,” the person said, adding, “The GTF is ultimately the most efficient engine in the market and allows customers to enjoy fuel savings of 16 per cent while also delivering 50 per cent lower emissions.”
The A320neo fleet of aircraft with Indian carriers IndiGo and Go First that were using the engines had despatch reliability of 99.98 per cent, which was among the world’s best, according to P&W. This had enabled them to save costs in excess of $500 million.
Talking about the impact of supply chain disruptions, one of the officials informed the company expected the situation to start easing by late 2023 to support an increased supply of new and overhauled engines.
“In the interim, we are providing direct logistical support to our suppliers. We are expanding our maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity and working to reduce shop visit turnaround times to improve service,” the person said.
This would also help in improving the situation vis-à-vis aircraft-on-ground (AoG). Go First had alleged a spike in the grounding of aircraft following the delivery of a second batch of A320neos beginning in November 2019, due to a problem with low-pressure turbine (LPT) blades.
In a salvo fired more recently, the airline had claimed that apart from 28 of its A320neo aircraft, around 50 aircraft of Indigo and 20 turboprop aircraft of Spice Jet were also grounded due to issues with P&W’s engines.
Dispute purely commercial and contractual
Maintaining that the Go First litigation was purely a commercial and contractual dispute, the officials said P&W was already complying with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) order seeking the company to take all reasonable steps for despatch of engines to the LCC.
Referring to the company’s seven decades in the Indian market, they reiterated the company would remain invested in the country’s aviation growth story and its customers’ success.
Meanwhile, industry sources confirmed to BT that Go First had often reneged on financial commitments to P&W. Thus, the carrier’s decision to pursue litigation despite obtaining a favourable ruling in SIAC had left many puzzled. The aggression displayed since May 2 by the airline promoted by the more than 250-year-old Wadia group may have been prompted by a desire to jump the queue for engines over other customers.
They also felt the airline’s stated claim of seeking a staggering $1.1 billion in damages from P&W would have to be amply substantiated in foreign jurisdictions.