For every new A320neo plane, ground an old one with unmodified PW engines: IndiGo told

New Delhi: The DGCA on Monday instructed IndiGo to ensure it grounds an old A320neo family aircraft with an unmodified Pratt and Whitney (PW) engine for every new A320neo plane added to its fleet.

The aviation regulator issued the directions in view of the January 31 deadline given by it to IndiGo to replace all unmodified PW engines on its 97 A320neo family aircraft or face grounding of planes.

"Simply put, the new aircraft will slip into the role of one existing aircraft with unmodified engines...The grounded aircraft can be allowed a fresh schedule once its PW engines are replaced," a senior Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official said.

The regulator's directive is likely to affect the low-cost carrier's expansion plans as it would have to deploy on existing routes new A320neo family aircraft, which would join IndiGo's fleet in the coming days.

Efforts undertaken by IndiGo to replace all unmodified PW engines on its 97 A320neo family aircraft by January 31 next year - as per the previous instructions of the DGCA - do not "instill enough confidence with regard to the timely completion of the said task", the official said. "If left unaddressed, we may find ourselves in a situation, in which, we remain saddled with large number of aircraft with unmodified engines and operating on a schedule approved by us and we are left with the only option i.e. to ground them on January 31, 2020," the official said. If the DGCA exercises this option, "large scale disruptions with its attendant consequences" shall follow, the official said. IndiGo said in a statement said, "The current schedule remains intact." "IndiGo is working with PW and Airbus to adjust inflow of LPT (low pressure turbine) 3rd stage modified engines to meet the DGCA guidelines," the airline said. With a fleet of around 247 planes and a share of around 47 per cent of the domestic air passenger market, IndiGo is India's largest airline.