Turkish Airlines expects 40 to 45 of its Airbus narrowbodies will be grounded this year and into 2025 due to new required inspections of the jets’ Pratt & Whitney (P&W) PW1100G geared turbofans (GTFs). The carrier, together with its low-cost unit AJet, had a fleet of 66 Airbus A320neo family jets at the end of March. Speaking during a Q1 earnings call on 23 May, Turkish CFO Murat Seker said the airline’s expectations about the scope of the issue have have been changing based on the latest information from the engine manufacturer. “Currently, we have around 20-25 aircraft grounded,” he says. “Our current projection is [that] this will go up to the 40s towards the end of this year, and [that] it will be around those levels for the remainder of 2024 and part of 2025. It will be around 40-45 aircraft.” Seker also highlights steps the carrier has taken to mitigate lost capacity. ”Last year and this year we added about 15-20 narrowbody aircraft – still some of these contracts are being negotiated – to compensate this capacity loss,” he says. P&W last year disclosed it was recalling thousands of GTFs, saying the engines might contain components subject to early failure due to defects introduced during a manufacturing process using powder metal. It has said an average of 350 jets will be grounded at any given time between 2024 and 2026 as a result. Seker also says the airline remains in talks related to the planned Boeing portion of a major long-term fleet renewal and expansion plan. Turkish originally hoped it might be able to finalise an order for 400 narrowbodies and 200 widebodies with Airbus and Boeing by mid-2023. While completion of both orders were delayed, Turkish in December announced commitments for 345 Airbus jets.<br/>
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In-flight meal services will now be suspended when the seat-belt sign lights up on a Singapore Airlines plane as part of efforts to take a more cautious approach to managing turbulence in the air. Cabin crew will also sit down and fasten their seat belts when the seat belt sign is lit, said SIA on May 23 in response to queries. However, unlike in the past - when only hot drinks would be cut off during turbulence - the new measures will require all meal and drink services to stop when the ride gets bumpy. Other existing safety measures that kick in during poor weather conditions will remain in place. These include getting crew members to secure loose items in the cabin, advising passengers to return to their seats and buckle up, and monitoring passengers who may need assistance, like those in the loo. A spokesman for the carrier said: “SIA will continue to review our processes as the safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance.”<br/>
Forty-six passengers and two crew members aboard the SIA flight that hit severe turbulence and had to make an emergency landing in Bangkok on May 21 remain in the Thai capital for medical treatment. Singapore Airlines, in a Facebook post at 9.31pm on May 23, said that meant a total of 65 passengers and two crew members from Flight SQ321 were still in Bangkok. It added that SIA CE Goh Choon Phong has been “meeting the affected passengers, crew, their family members and loved ones in Bangkok today to personally offer his support and to understand their concerns”. Also, customer care representatives, who are staff volunteers with training to handle such situations, have been deployed to provide updates to passengers, and to help them if needed. Goh said: “We have also facilitated the travel of their family members and loved ones to Bangkok and ensured that they are taken care of too.” He also thanked the staff at Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, and Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, where the injured passengers and crew are believed to be hospitalised. Earlier in the day, Dr Adinun Kittiratanapaibool, director of Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, said 20 people remained in intensive care, although none were life-threatening cases. The oldest patient at the hospital is 83, while the youngest is a two-year-old child who suffered a concussion. He added that there were a total of 40 patients from Flight SQ321 at the hospital, among whom 22 have spinal cord injuries, and six have brain and skull injuries.<br/>
Allianz is the lead insurer for the Singapore Airlines aircraft which left one person dead and scores injured after it hit severe turbulence and had to be diverted to Bangkok this week, two sources said on Thursday. The sources familiar with the matter, who declined to be named, could not immediately provide detail on the size of any potential insurance claim against the hull and liability policy.<br/>