14 Cathay Pacific flights in & out of S'pore cancelled after Hong Kong grounds Airbus fleet for engine failure

A total of 14 flights scheduled to depart from and arrive at Singapore's Changi Airport have been cancelled.

All of them are Cathay Pacific flights, which were due to depart between 6am and 6pm, and arrive between 5:30am and 8:35pm on Sep. 3.

This comes after the Hong Kong carrier grounded its entire Airbus A350 fleet for inspection on the night of Sep. 2, cancelling 48 flights to various destinations.

It had discovered a first-of-its-kind problem with a component of the model's aircraft engine, and "proactively initiated a fleet-wide inspection of our 48 A350 aircraft".

The airline said in a statement that the inspections are "well underway", and will be completed the same day.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding," Cathay Pacific's director of engineering said.

In the interim, Cathay urged passengers to check their flights on its website for updates.

It added that all affected passengers so far have been informed and provided with alternative travel arrangements.

Engine component failure

Cathay Pacific said it had identified the engine component failure after a flight bound for Zurich returned to Hong Kong after take-off on Sep. 2.

The component had been the first of its type to suffer such a failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide.

"We immediately brought this issue to the attention of the aircraft and engine manufacturers, as well as our regulators," it said.

Spare parts have since been secured and repair works have begun.

While parts replacements are underway, a number of aircraft will be out of service for several days, affecting the airline's operating schedule.

"We are committed to minimising any disruption for our customers and will keep them informed with the latest updates, proactively providing alternative travel arrangements when necessary," Cathay said.

After servicing, the aircraft cleared for operation will be returned to service, while those identified with technical issues will undergo further repair and maintenance works.

Updates on further cancellations will be disseminated "as early as possible" on Sep. 4, Cathay added.

Mothership has reached out to Changi Airport Group for more information.

Top image from Cathay Pacific's website