Engine Issues Are Forcing Some Airlines to Choose Less-Efficient Planes
The bottom line matters more to airlines than anything else, so you'd think they'd do everything in their power to make their planes run as efficiently as possible. Along with employee payroll and aircraft, jet fuel is one of the top-three costs for carriers, so what could be making airlines choose to order less-efficient planes?
Apparently, the engines are the problem. Airbus offers its new A320neo with two engine options: the GE/Safran (CFM) LEAP 1-A, or the Pratt & Whitney Pure Power 1100G. These engines are supposed to be 16% more efficient than the previous-generation A320 engines, but problems have plagued the Pratt & Whitney engine, to the point that some airlines have modified their orders.
A320neo launch customer Qatar Airways rejected its order of the jet after engine problems arose. Qatar Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said the "huge issues" with the Pratt & Whitney engine were the reason behind the carrier's decision. Al Baker has been known to reject other aircraft deliveries temporarily for such things as cabin fixtures, so something as important as the engines brings an even deeper level of scrutiny. Lufthansa ended up leap-frogging Qatar to became the first airline to operate the A320neo, and Qatar later modified its A320neo order to the longer A321neo, with the CFM LEAP 1-A engines.
JetBlue recently announced that it will take delivery of 11 A321s in 2018 — and these will have older engines, known as ceo, or "current engine option," rather than the Pratt & Whitney engines. On the airline's Q1 earnings call, CFO Steve Priest called the move a good contingency plan.
Airbus CEO Tom Enders even lashed out at Pratt & Whitney, saying, "Pratt & Whitney has to make a huge effort to further improve." The PW1100G issues are related to its new engine technology, known as a geared turbofan. A software glitch from the engine was sending false errors to the pilot's displays in the cockpit, and of course flights can't depart when there are warning messages coming from the engines.
Early adopter airlines including IndiGo, Go Air and Lufthansa have been forced to let their engines spool up and run for several minutes before heading to the runway to take off. Additionally, a phenomenon called rotor bowing has been occurring within the PW1100G engines. Rotor bowing takes place when temperature differences within the engine cause misalignments of certain parts within the engine. The extended engine warm-up times have been unacceptable to the airlines. Rotor bowing isn't dangerous, but it does make the engine run less efficiently.
IndiGo and Spirit Airlines have banned their A320neos from flying above 30,000 feet. Cold temperatures have reportedly caused the engine's bleed air system to freeze shut, which can affect things such as the anti-icing system. Spirit has parked at least two of its five new A320neos at DFW Airport, awaiting swap-outs of the brand-new PW1100G engines. [Update 5/6/17: A Pratt & Whitney spokesperson has reached out to TPG to clarify that Spirit Airlines has said the airline is "flying at 30,000 feet to provide a better ambient pressure differential for the number 3 Bearing compartment lift off seal contact issue. To be clear, these engine issues are limited to our [Spirit's] NEO aircraft which represents only 5 planes in our fleet, three of which are currently going through our regular maintenance protocol and are on the ground."]
This year, through the end of March, Airbus had received orders for 19 A320ceo aircraft and only one of its A320neo counterpart, according to a report from Airbus. According to planespotters.net, of 102 the currently active A320neos in service with airlines, 52 are equipped with the PW1100G, while the remaining 50 have the LEAP 1-A. In the US, only low-cost carriers — Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit and Virgin America — have ordered the A320neo, while more established carriers such as Alaska, American, Southwest and United have ordered its competitor, the Boeing 737 MAX, which only comes with the CFM LEAP 1-B engine.
All images courtesy of Airbus, unless otherwise noted.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees