The chief executive of Italy’s ITA Airways announced Sunday that his company will make a decision in the coming weeks about pursuing legal action against RTX’s Pratt & Whitney division over engine defects that have taken nearly one-fifth of the airline’s 80-plane fleet out of operation.
The engine troubles have affected hundreds of A320neo aircraft worldwide, representing the newest generation of Airbus narrow-body passenger jets.
The widespread grounding has resulted from extended delays in engine maintenance and inspections, combined with production issues at Pratt & Whitney that have affected the supply of GTF engines used in these Airbus aircraft.
Speaking to reporters during an international airline industry conference in Rio de Janeiro, ITA Airways CEO Joerg Eberhart described the timeline for a legal decision as urgent. “It’s imminent,” Eberhart stated. “We will have to decide within the next six to eight weeks.”
RTX has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the potential litigation.
