Engine Issue Detected Midflight Turns Up in More Planes

An engine component failure forced the turnaround of a Cathay Pacific flight on Monday and ultimately led to the discovery of a much larger problem. After Flight CX383 bound for Zurich returned to Hong Kong, the region's flagship airline discovered faulty parts in 15 of its 48 Airbus A350s, reports the BBC. The airline has canceled nearly 70 flights since and says disruptions will continue into the weekend, and perhaps beyond, as fixes are put in place. "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers' patience and understanding," says Cathay, stressing that the "safety of our customers and our people guides every decision we make."

Flight CX383, an Airbus A350-1000 plane, flew in two wide circles and got rid of fuel over the sea before heading back to Hong Kong about 75 minutes after departure, per Reuters. Cathay Pacific says an engine component failed, adding it's the "first of its type to suffer such failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide." A source tells Reuters there was a problem with a fuel nozzle inside the engine of the five-year-old plane. Rolls-Royce's Trent XWB-97 engine is used in the A350-1000 and A350 freighter, while its Trent XWB-84 engine is used in the more popular A350-900. Cathay Pacific counts 18 A350-1000 planes.

Rolls-Royce says it's "committed to working closely with the airline, aircraft manufacturer, and the relevant authorities to support their efforts," per the BBC. It will also "keep other airlines that operate Trent XWB-97 engines fully informed of any relevant developments as appropriate." British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Japan Airlines are among the major carriers operating A350s, per the BBC. Japan Airlines said it would inspect its five A350-1000 aircraft on Tuesday "as a precautionary measure." (More airlines stories.)