Michael Mann 
Hong Kong
CNN
—
Hong Kong’s flag carrier Cathay Pacific has canceled dozens of flights as it inspects its entire Airbus A350 fleet after finding engine problems affecting the plane.
The airline said it identified an engine component failure on a long-haul flight, CX383 from Hong Kong to Zurich, on Monday. The plane later returned to Hong Kong.
“This component was the first of its type to suffer such failure on any A350 aircraft worldwide,” Cathay said in a statement sent to CNN. A thorough inspection of its 48-plane fleet revealed “a number of the same engine components that need to be replaced,” it added.
It did not detail the nature of the engine issue. Spare parts have been secured and repair work was underway, Cathay said. As a result, the carrier has canceled 24 flights over two days, until Tuesday, pending the inspection and repair work.
The issue affecting the A350, an Airbus-made long haul jet, has emerged after rival Boeing suffered a number of serious and high-profile problems. The American plane maker has spent months embroiled in a safety crisis since the mid-air blowout of one of its door plugs on a 737 Max flight operated by Alaska Airlines earlier this year.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
