Extra Rolls-Royce plane engine checks to disrupt flights

Rolls-Royce has said extra checks on one of its plane engines will add unexpected costs and cause further disruption for airlines including BA, Virgin and Norwegian. In an embarrassment for one of the UK’s top engineering groups, the company said more inspections would be needed to tackle problems with its Trent 1000 engines, which are used in Boeing’s Dreamliner 787. The issue concerns parts in 380 engines that are wearing out sooner than planned and affects up to 170 planes in use by airlines. The Dreamliners will need to be grounded for checks and replacements. Rolls-Royce said last month it was facing a GBP370m bill because of the engines, but it indicated Friday that that figure would rise with the cost of replacing more parts and paying airlines compensation. “While the compressor technical issue was known at the time of our results, the requirement for more regular inspections will lead to higher than previously guided cash costs being incurred during 2018,” it said. Warren East, the chief executive, said: “We sincerely regret the disruption this will cause to our customers, and our team of technical experts and service engineers is working around the clock to ensure we return them to full service as soon as possible.”<br/>