Cathay Pacific has cancelled a number of flights across Asia as it inspects its fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft.
The inspections were triggered after an engine component failure on one of its A350-1000 aircraft shortly after take-off from Hong Kong to Zurich on Monday.
The airline said “a number of aircraft will be out of service for several days” while checks were carried out on engines made by Rolls-Royce.
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On Tuesday morning, the airline reported that faulty parts had been identified on 15 of the 48 A350s in Cathay’s fleet.
It said almost 70 flights had been cancelled since Monday, with disruption expected to continue until at least Saturday.
Ten additional regional return flights are expected to be cancelled on Wednesday (September 4), while long-haul services should not be affected.
Speaking on Monday, Cathay engineering director Keith Brown said: “Each aircraft is undergoing a rigorous inspection. Upon completion, the aircraft cleared for operation will return to service, while those identified with technical issues will undergo further repair and maintenance work.
“Meanwhile, we are liaising with the Hong Kong civil aviation department and the aircraft and engine manufacturers. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding.”
In a statement to the BBC, Rolls-Royce said: “We are committed to working closely with the airline, aircraft manufacturer and the relevant authorities to support their investigation into this incident.”
Other airlines using A350s include Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.