\n<\/p>\n
Hong Kong\u2019s flagship airline Cathay Pacific has cancelled <\/b>tens of flights <\/b>after a plane heading from the city to Zurich was forced to turn around due to an “engine component failure”.<\/p>\n
The company says it is now inspecting all 48 of its Airbus A350 aircraft “as a precautionary measure” and a faulty part has been found in some of the engines that needs to be replaced.<\/p>\n
Rolls-Royce has told the BBC the plane was powered by its Trent XWB-97 engines.<\/p>\n
Since Monday, Cathay Pacific has cancelled two dozen return flights, including routes linking Hong Kong to Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Osaka and Taipei.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The airline said it expected the disruptions to continue until at least Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Cathay Pacific said the engine component that caused its plane to return to Hong Kong was “the first of its type to suffer such failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide.” <\/p>\n
“Thus far we have identified a number of the same engine components that need to be replaced, spare parts have been secured and repair work is underway,” the airline said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“As a result, a number of aircraft will be out of service for several days while this process is being completed and Cathay Pacific\u2019s operating schedules will be affected.”<\/p>\n
The airline expects the inspection of its A350 fleet to be completed later on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Cathay Pacific took delivery of its Airbus A350 aircraft in 2016, which are equipped with fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are committed to working closely with the airline, aircraft manufacturer and the relevant authorities to support their investigation into this incident,\u201d Rolls-Royce told BBC News.<\/p>\n
The UK-based engineering giant’s shares fell by more than 6% in Monday\u2019s trading session in London.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Rolls-Royce announced plans to invest in making improvements to its range of engines, including the Trent XWB-97.<\/p>\n
In 2023, Tim Clark, the boss of gulf carrier Emirates, voiced concerns about the durability of the engine and the prices Rolls-Royce charged for maintenance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n