Tuesday, September 10, 2024 Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong’s flagship carrier, has successfully completed repairs on its Airbus A350 fleet after a recent engine fire caused widespread operational disruptions. The fire, which occurred during one of the airline’s flights, led to the discovery of a previously unknown fuel hose problem that prompted the cancellation of 90 flights over the course of a week. The large-scale cancellations were necessary to allow thorough inspections and repairs of Cathay Pacific’s 48-strong A350 fleet.
In the aftermath of the incident, the European aviation regulator issued a directive requiring other airlines operating certain models of the Airbus A350 to conduct similar inspections within a month. This “first-of-its-kind” issue has now drawn the attention of global regulators and airlines, raising questions about the potential broader implications for the A350 model’s safety and reliability. The Engine Fire and Its Immediate Impact The incident that triggered the grounding of Cathay Pacific’s A350 fleet began with an engine fire during a routine flight.
Although no passengers or crew members were harmed, the incident was alarming enough to prompt immediate action by the airline. Cathay Pacific’s engineering and safety teams quickly launched an investigation to identify the cause of the fire. During their investigation, the airline’s engineers discovered a unique issue involving the aircraft’s fuel hoses, which had not been p.