IndiGo, GoAir to replace 111 and 54 PW engines in 72 days: Govt

IndiGo and GoAir will have to replace 111 and 54 Pratt and Whitney (PW) engines respectively within the next 72 days in their A320neo planes, the government told Parliament on Wednesday.

Replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said IndiGo and GoAir were asked by aviation regulator DGCA earlier this month to replace 196 and 76 PW engines respectively with modified engines.

On November 1, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had told the airlines to replace the PW engines under both wings of 97 A320neo aircraft "at all costs" by January 31 or they would be grounded.

The aviation regulator had also said "desperate measures" were required to "put things in order".

The PW engine-powered A320 neo planes in the fleets of IndiGo and GoAir have been facing glitches both mid-air and on-ground since their induction way back in 2016, which has also led to grounding of some planes.

According to the data presented by Puri on Wednesday, 85 and 22 PW engines were replaced by IndiGo and GoAir respectively as yet.