ANA Announces Flight Reductions in 2024 Amidst Pratt & Whitney Engine Recall

Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) is set to scale back its flight operations in the first quarter of 2024 due to the recent Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine recall affecting its A320-200Ns and A321-200Ns. The airline issued a statement on October 31, 2023, detailing its response to the recall, with plans to conduct engine inspections starting January 2024.

As a consequence of the engine recall, ANA anticipates a reduction of approximately 30 flights per day on both domestic and international routes from January 10, 2024, through March 30, 2024. This reduction represents 3.6% of ANA’s daily flights. The airline strategically plans to minimize disruptions by focusing on routes where alternate flights are available on the same day, including popular routes like Tokyo Haneda to Osaka Itami and Tokyo Haneda to Seoul Gimpo.

To mitigate the impact, ANA will collaborate with StarFlyer and Solaseed Air, both of which will operate additional flights over the period, in cooperation with ANA, on specific domestic routes affected by flight reductions. ANA holds shareholdings in both of these partner airlines.

Between mid-January and the end of March, ANA expects an average reduction of 28 flights per day across 20 domestic routes, with the daily cancellations rising to 32 in February. The international routes affected are Tokyo Haneda to Qingdao Jiaodong, with 58 cancellations, and Tokyo Haneda to Seoul Gimpo, with 87 cancellations between February 16 and March 30.

ANA reassures passengers that safety remains its top priority, emphasizing its commitment to monitor the situation and take necessary measures. The Pratt & Whitney engine recall, initiated by Raytheon Technologies Corporation, the parent company of Pratt & Whitney, stems from a rare condition in powder metal used in the manufacturing of certain engine parts. The inspections for micro-cracks impacting the PW1100G engines have global implications for airlines operating A320N-family-type aircraft.

ANA, with a fleet including eleven A320-200Ns and twenty-two A321-200Ns, plans to provide further clarity on the operational impact of the engine recalls after March 31, 2024, when it releases its FY2024 business plan at the end of January. Passengers are advised to stay updated on any developments as the airline navigates through this period of flight adjustments.