IndiGo sees an end to engine woes as groundings weigh on margins

IndiGo said engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney should be able to provide enough spare turbines to get its Airbus A320neo jets flying this quarter after costs from grounded planes helped push it to the worst 3-month result since listing in 2015. “We remain cautiously optimistic and hope that these issues are resolved at the earliest,” CE Rahul said Monday, while adding that he is “not happy about the situation.” Things should improve “in the current quarter” as new turbines arrive, he said. Durability issues with Pratt engines have been a headache since IndiGo took its first A320neo in 2016, causing delivery delays and groundings that have forced the carrier to lease older, less-efficient jets. That’s hurt margins already under pressure from fuel costs and a local fare war, leading profit to drop 97% to US$4m in the 3 months through June. <br/>