Which Airbus has problems?

Airbus does not manufacture its own engines. The A320neo family is offered with two options: the CFM LEAP-1A and the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G, a geared turbofan. In 2023, Pratt & Whitney acknowledged that a contaminant present in the powdered metal used to manufacture high-pressure turbine discs could cause microcracks. The fix requires removing the engine and inspecting or replacing parts, and each shop visit can take months due to the saturated maintenance network.

Airlines bear the consequences: operators such as Lufthansa, Spirit, IndiGo, Wizz Air and Volaris have for years had a significant part of their neo fleets grounded, with compensation negotiated with the engine manufacturer. Airbus keeps delivering aircraft, but the problem affects the availability of the best-selling family in history.

The A220, which uses the PW1500G from the same family, shares some of the durability limitations. On the A350, Qatar Airways and Airbus were locked in litigation between 2021 and 2023 over paint deterioration and the lightning-protection mesh, settled by agreement. The A321XLR received certification late, in 2024, due to EASA requirements regarding the rear fuel tank integrated into the fuselage.

It's worth distinguishing between a design flaw, a supplier failure and an industrial delay. The airworthiness of the A320neo is not in question: the aircraft flying today comply with EASA directives. What's lacking is the capacity to inspect engines on time, which is more a supply-chain problem than an engineering one.