Engine glitch causes GoAir’s Patna-Delhi flight diversion

New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) An incident involving an engine glitch on the Pratt & Whitney (P&W)-supplied PW1100G-JM engines was reported on the GoAir's Patna-Delhi flight which was diverted to Lucknow on Thursday.

On Friday, a Pratt & Whitney statement said: "We are working with our customer to help minimise any disruptions to their operations."

"The PW1100G-JM powers a fleet of more than 300 A320 Neo aircraft worldwide, which have achieved more than 1.5 million engine flight hours of operation."

The airline on Thursday had said that diversion had taken place due to a technical snag, without elaborating much on the issue.

"GoAir flight G8 150 from Patna to Delhi which departed at 5.10 p.m. had to be diverted to Lucknow due to a technical snag," the airline said in a statement on Thursday.

"While the technical snag is being investigated, alternate arrangements have been made for all the 128 passengers for their onward journey."

In January 2019, the civil aviation regulator DGCA had restricted budget airlines IndiGo and GoAir's flight services operated on Airbus A320 Neo aircraft powered by P&W engines to Port Blair.

A public notice issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had read: "The restriction imposed on flight operations to Port Blair with A320 Neo aircraft."

The two budget airlines operate the Airbus A320 Neo aircraft fitted with P&W 1100 series engines.

The restriction had come after the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA held a meeting with IndiGo, GoAir, P&W and aircraft maker Airbus on January 8 to review safety-related incidents with Airbus A320 Neo aircraft, powered by P&W.

Consequently, it was decided that civil aviation regulator will issue an "Additional Directive" on safety protocols for P&W engines which power Airbus A320 aircraft.