GoAir Delhi-Varanasi flight returns due to PW engine's mid-air snag

A GoAir A320neo aircraft en route to Varanasi on Tuesday had to return to Delhi as one of its Pratt and Whitney (PW) engines developed a mid-air snag, a government official said.
 

"G8186 Delhi-Varanasi flight had to return to Delhi on Tuesday evening as one of the PW engines developed high vibration," said the official.
 

In response to a query from PTI regarding the incident, a GoAir spokesperson said the G8186 flight with 50 passengers on board did an air turn back "in the interest of safety due to a technical glitch".
 

After the turn back, the flight landed safely at Delhi airport, the spokesperson noted.
 

"The aircraft is being inspected and rectified by GoAir engineering team. Alternate flight arrangements are being explored to accommodate the passengers to their destination. GoAir regrets the inconvenience caused to its passengers," the spokesperson added.
 

Aviation regulator DGCA had decided on December 24 to inspect all PW engines, which have been used for more than 3,000 hours, of GoAir's A320neo planes.
 

As PW engines of IndiGo's A320neo family aircrafts have also been facing similar incidents, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on October 28 ordered it to replace 16 PW engines, which have been used for more than 3,000 hours, within 15 days.
 

Worried about the safety aspect, the DGCA issued further orders to IndiGo on November 1 last year, telling it that all 97 A320neo family aircraft in its fleet must have modified PW engines by January 31, 2020 "at all costs".
 

Later, unsatisfied with IndiGo's speed in replacing the unmodified PW engines, the regulator on November 25 instructed it to ground an old A320neo family aircraft with an unmodified PW engine for every new A320neo plane added to its fleet to prevent large-scale cancellation of flights from January 31 onwards.
 

The A320neo family aircraft, which are powered by PW engines, have been facing frequent on-ground and mid-air glitches since their induction into the IndiGo and GoAir fleets in 2016.