Budget-carrier Indigo on Friday dismissed media reports claiming that the airline had cancelled 84 flights following engine failures in its Airbus A320 New Engine Operation aircraft. The company said “misleading information” was being spread by a “section of media”.
Earlier on Friday, PTI had reported that 13 Airbus A320 Neo aircraft had been grounded as the engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney had glitches, which led to 84 flights getting cancelled. Moreover, as many as 667 flights had been cancelled by Indigo between June 21 and July 3 this year as a result of the grounding of these planes, PTI had reported.
Indigo said only eight aircraft were grounded and not 13 as was reported. “The schedule for this was already planned in the month of June on non-availability of these aircraft for July, August and September,” the airline said in a statement, according to ANI. “No new flight cancellations have been made. The affected passengers have already been accommodated with suitable options.”
In July, during an analysts’ call, Indigo President and Director Aditya Ghosh had said that the Airbus A320 Neo aircrafts continue to have operational issues, and that many flights have had to be grounded in the past as enough engines were not available.
Ghosh told The Hindu BusinessLine on Friday that it was “no coincidence” that the report came out on a day when the company had topped the On Time Performance list.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!