In not a very good news for Airbus industry and Engine maker Pratt & Whitney , the airline Air Senegal has canceled its contract to receive five Airbus A220-300 aircraft from the leasing company Macquarie AirFinance. It is being said, this decision was made due to recurring problems with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, which powers these aircraft.
These aircraft were meant to be used for flights within the African continent and to Europe, but difficulties with the engine made this impossible, and it had to be grounded pending modifications.
Air Senegal director Eric Iba Gueye said the company is in search of another aircraft type , that can replace the A220-300 utilities, but its direct competitor, the Embraer E195-E2, is also facing similar difficulties. The airline is currently reviewing available options, which include leasing an A320neo with CFM Leap 1-A engines.
The turbofan is one of the reasons for the aircraft's fuel economy, but it has repeatedly experienced problems with systems and components.
Pratt & Whitney claims to have resolved this, however, it is not managing to carry out modifications on aircraft that use the GTF such as the A220, A320neo and Embraer's E2 jets.
Air Senegal had an A220-300 in service, but it had to be grounded awaiting modifications. In December, the leasing company should have delivered two more jets, but this did not happen.
According to Italia Vola , Air Senegal has decided to cancel the contract with Macquarie. The site heard the company's director, Eric Iba Gueye, at a tourism event held in Milan, who confirmed the information.
Gueye revealed that Air Senegal is looking for another aircraft to replace the A220, but the direct competitor, the E195-E2, is also experiencing the same difficulty, in addition to not offering the same autonomy.
Air Senegal is a traditional Airbus customer, so there are few options. One of them would be the leasing of the A320neo with Leap 1-A engines, from CFM, but it is a larger aircraft and would require a greater demand.
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