Pratt & Whitney GTF engine issues leave hundreds of aircraft grounded

Hundreds of aircraft are idle worldwide because airlines cannot get engines or parts fast enough. The problem is tied to Pratt & Whitney's geared turbofan (GTF) programme. Inspections, slow repairs and a lack of spare engines have combined to keep otherwise serviceable jets on the ground for months.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby put the number of affected aircraft at between 800 and 900 globally, and said the shortage would continue for "many, many years." He described engine availability as one of the industry's most serious long-term constraints.

The disruption differs from more familiar aviation crises, which tend to have a single obvious cause such as a closed border, shut airspace or a fleet-wide defect. Here the grounding has accumulated through the engine supply chain.