Aircraft generate revenue solely when they are airborne. Thus, when a specific aircraft model requires mandatory maintenance, such as the case with the PW1100G-JM engine, the repercussions on airlines become evident. In this analysis, we delve into the specific impact of the PW1100G-JM issue on Wizz Air.
The problem with the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engine
In July of 2023, Pratt & Whitney made a significant discovery regarding a rare anomaly found in the powder metal utilized in the production of specific engine components, prompting an urgent call for the inspection of the PW1100G-JM (GTF) fleet, the powerhouse behind the A320neo.
Initial projections indicated that 700 engines, produced between October 2015 and September 2021, would need to undergo extensive shop visits planned from 2023 to 2026. However, as of 2024, this number has surged significantly, with nearly 3,000 engines now slated for inspection.
An operator of the A320 family including the PW1100G powered A320-271Neo, is Wizz Air, a low-cost European carrier that has become one of the largest operators in the region. Wizz is not singular in grappling with this issue, there are more than 40 airlines globally operating the Pratt and Whitney power plant option. Indian low-cost carrier cited issues with much of its fleet of A320neo family when it ceased operations last year. And North American low-cost airline Spirit Airlines’ CEO expressed frustration over the repercussions last month, announcing plans to retire at least seven A320neos from service in September. Aviation data and analytics firm Cirium, stated on 13 February 2024 that more than 400 PW1100G-powered aircraft are now listed as being in storage, pending shop visit inspections, compared with fewer than 200 last August.
It is worth noting that in response to the engine situation, CH-Aviation reported in 2023 that Wizz Air has taken proactive measures. The airline has extended leases for nine A320-200s and four A321-200s, with ongoing efforts to extend additional lease periods ranging from two to four years. Chief Executive József Váradi disclosed that contracts for seven extensions have been finalized, with six currently in the documentation stage. Wizz Air aims to enhance the utilization of its existing fleet while leveraging continued aircraft deliveries from Airbus to mitigate any disruptions stemming from PW1100 engine-related groundings.
Wizz Air fleet overview
Flightradar24 data shows Wizz Air operates a fleet comprising 203 aircraft from the Airbus A320 family. Most notable is Wizz’s large and growing fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft. The fleet is distributed across multiple registrations in various countries to facilitate operational flexibility among Wizz Air’s various subsidiaries based in Abu Dhabi, Malta, and the UK.
The A320N series powered by Pratt and Whitney PW1100G constitutes six aircraft (Registrations: 9H-WBX, 9H-WBY, 9H-WBB, 9H-WBW, 9H-WAN). Meanwhile, the A321neo series dominates the fleet with 115 aircraft, out of which 38 are registered in Hungary, 56 in Malta, 5 in the United Arab Emirates, and 16 in the United Kingdom (as of March 2024).
Complementing the neo series, Wizz Air operates 41 A320ceos, with 19 registered in Hungary and 22 in Malta. Additionally, there are 41 A321s in the fleet, primarily registered in Hungary (30), with 8 registered in the United Arab Emirates and 3 in the United Kingdom.
Wizz Air flight activity, 2021-2023
Over the course of three years, Wizz Air’s flight activity for various aircraft models depicted varied trajectories. The A320-232 experienced a surge from 69,393 flights in 2021 to 83,235 flights in 2022, followed by a slight decline to 68,484 flights in 2023.
Conversely, the A320-271N, powered by the PW1100G engine, witnessed a rise from 9,100 flights in 2021 to 11,620 flights in 2022, yet encountered a decrease to 9,719 flights in 2023. Interestingly, the A320-214, was not used in 2021 and 2022, with operations of this type starting in 2023 with 3,826 flights, indicating a strategic shift towards operating an A320 variant that utilizes the CFM engine instead of the PW1100G powerplant that powers the A320-271N. The difference between both the reduction of YoY flights of the A320-271N and the introduction of the A320-214 is 1,901, meaning the additional flights with YoY growth included indicate these A320-214 aircraft could have been brought in to deal with the grounding and maintenance of the A320-271N fleet.
Across the rest of the Wizz fleet we see, the A321-231 displayed a significant increase from 30,092 flights in 2021 to 63,442 flights in 2022, continuing its upward trend to 73,633 flights in 2023. In contrast, the A321-271NX peaked at 88,615 flights in 2022 but experienced a decline to 46,877 flights in 2023.
2024 and the grounding of the neos
The persistent aggravation of the PW1100G engine problem started significantly impacting the Wizz Air fleet in 2023, but the problem became even more acute at the start of 2024. Between January 1st and mid-February 2024, not a single flight was operated by an A320-271N aircraft, with all 12 of them grounded. It’s noteworthy to observe the year-over-year surge in activity of the aforementioned A320-214, as well as the steady year-over-year increase compared to month-over-month fluctuations seen in the A320-232, A321-231, and A321-271NX models.
A320-271N flight activity
In 2024, all six A320-271N aircraft remained grounded, a stark contrast to their active and utilized status in 2023. Despite this setback, the routes they previously serviced remain active. Wizz Air, leveraging its extensive fleet, is working diligently to minimize passenger disruption. Here we take a look at the previous flight-activity of the A320-271N
9H-WAN
Operated – 1823 flights in 2023
Last flight – 7th November 2023
Tirana International Airport, Albania to Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderwski Airport, Poland
9H-WBA
Operated – 1670 flights in 2023
Last flight – 10th December 2023
Katowice International Airport to Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderwski Airport, Poland
9H-WBB
Operated – 1560 flights in 2023
Last flight – 26th September 2023
Tirana International Airport, Albania, to Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderwski Airport, Poland
9H-WBW
Operated – 1606 flights in 2023
Last flight – 22nd October 2023
Katowice International Airport, Poland, to Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderwski Airport, Poland
9H-WBX
Operated – 1333 flights in 2023
Last flight – 17th September 2023
Katowice International Airport, Poland, to Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderwski Airport, Poland
9H-WBY
Operated – 1382 flights in 2023
Last flight – 25th September 2023
Katowice International Airport, Poland, to Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderwski Airport, Poland
What about the PW-powered A321neos?
Since late 2023, the share of Wizz Air’s A321neo fleet has placed in storage has continued to grow with three dozen aircraft parked as of the beginning of March 2024 and more slated to be grounded awaiting maintenance. 18 A321-271NX aircraft have joined the A320neo fleet at BZG in Poland. Ostrava now hosts 15 of Wizz Air’s A321-271NX aircraft due to PW1100G engine issues. Three other aircraft have been parked in Abu Dhabi, Katowice, and Madrid.
To better understand the future implications of these groundings, we can analyze the 2023 flight activity of this sub-fleet. We’ll begin with reg 9H-WAM, a Maltese-registered Wizz A321neo that logged a full 12 months of flight activity in 2023, accumulating over 1700 cycles and operating across Europe. In a year-over-year (YoY) and month-over-month (MoM) comparison from January to February 2023, the aircraft completed 252 cycles and flew over 250 hours, averaging a flight time of 2 hours and 50 minutes. As seen above in the overall flight activity graph above (Figure 1) the complete A321-271NX total activity is the highest across the entire fleet. So what next? Will Wizz begin staggering the grounding of its entire A321-271NX fleet throughout 2024?
The financial burden of these groundings is and will continue to be significant for Wizz Air, with idle aircraft and strong passenger demand necessitating the leasing of new aircraft, as mentioned earlier. Wizz will need to carefully consider the economics of this decision; a shorter lease time of suitable aircraft will undoubtedly result in higher monthly payments, as lessors will need to manage their own risks. Further questions arise regarding the duration of these aircraft groundings and their potential impact on future aircraft order decisions, particularly concerning the A321neo or A320neo variants.
Implications for Pratt and Whitney
As earlier mentioned Wizz Air isn’t the only airline grappling with the PW1100 engine issue. The biggest challenge of this saga lies directly with the engine OEM. In October 2023, RTX booked a pre-tax operating profit charge of $3 billion for Q3 2023.
Safety first
The PW1100G engine issue has posed significant challenges for airlines, including Wizz Air. As early as January 2023, the impact was felt, leading to strategic decisions such as the grounding of both Maltese-registered and Hungarian-registered A320-271N aircraft. This proactive approach aimed to address maintenance concerns but resulted in significant disruptions to flight operations. Notably, while the PW1100G issue persists, Wizz Air continues to navigate these challenges, leveraging its diverse fleet and strategic planning to mitigate passenger disruption. As we look ahead, it remains crucial for airlines to remain vigilant in managing such technical challenges while striving to ensure safe and efficient operations for passengers worldwide.
The parked Wizz Air fleet
| Registration | ICAO Type | Aircraft Type | MSN | Last Active Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9H-WBX | A20N | Airbus A320-271N | 10046 | 9/17/23 | BZG |
| 9H-WBY | A20N | Airbus A320-271N | 10092 | 9/25/23 | BZG |
| 9H-WBB | A20N | Airbus A320-271N | 10112 | 9/26/23 | BZG |
| 9H-WBA | A20N | Airbus A320-271N | 10129 | 10/12/23 | BZG |
| 9H-WBW | A20N | Airbus A320-271N | 9586 | 10/22/23 | BZG |
| 9H-WAN | A20N | Airbus A320-271N | 10192 | 11/7/23 | BZG |
| 9H-WAK | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10260 | 8/7/23 | KTW |
| 9H-WBU | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10050 | 10/7/23 | BZG |
| HA-LVE | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 8941 | 11/7/23 | BZG |
| 9H-WAO | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 9564 | 11/18/23 | BZG |
| G-WUKN | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10333 | 12/12/23 | KTW |
| HA-LVH | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 9164 | 12/20/23 | BZG |
| HA-LVD | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 8882 | 12/30/23 | BZG |
| HA-LZI | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10757 | 1/15/24 | MAD |
| HA-LZE | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10480 | 1/18/24 | OSR |
| HA-LGA | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10950 | 1/20/24 | OSR |
| HA-LVB | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 8735 | 1/22/24 | OSR |
| HA-LZO | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10843 | 1/22/24 | OSR |
| HA-LVF | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 8966 | 1/22/24 | OSR |
| 9H-WAT | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10508 | 1/22/24 | OSR |
| HA-LVP | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10227 | 1/22/24 | OSR |
| HA-LZN | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10792 | 1/22/24 | OSR |
| HA-LVI | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 9333 | 1/22/24 | BZG |
| HA-LVW | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10509 | 1/22/24 | OSR |
| HA-LZP | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10875 | 1/24/24 | BZG |
| HA-LZJ | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10616 | 1/24/24 | OSR |
| 9H-WAP | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10370 | 1/24/24 | BZG |
| 9H-WBL | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10659 | 1/25/24 | OSR |
| 9H-WAM | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10389 | 1/25/24 | OSR |
| 9H-WBS | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 8712 | 1/26/24 | BZG |
| 9H-WBR | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10522 | 1/26/24 | BZG |
| 9H-WAH | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10417 | 1/27/24 | OSR |
| HA-LVQ | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10295 | 1/28/24 | BZG |
| 9H-WBK | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10440 | 1/30/24 | BZG |
| A6-WZC | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10371 | 1/31/24 | AUH |
| 9H-WBM | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10753 | 2/5/24 | OSR |
| HA-LGD | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 11022 | 2/9/24 | BZG |
| 9H-WBN | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10894 | 2/14/24 | BZG |
| HA-LGF | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 11121 | 2/16/24 | OSR |
| HA-LZL | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10700 | 2/19/24 | KTW |
| HA-LVC | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 8816 | 2/19/24 | BZG |
| HA-LVG | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 8997 | 2/24/24 | BZG |
| HA-LZX | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10993 | 2/25/24 | BZG |
| HA-LZT | A21N | Airbus A321-271NX | 10893 | 2/27/24 | BZG |
![An example full flight summary response from the Flightradar24 API: { "data": [ { "fr24_id": "0987654321", "flight": "SK1415", "callsign": "SAS1415", "operated_as": "SAS", "painted_as": "SAS", "type": "A20N", "reg": "SE-DOY", "orig_icao": "ESSA", "orig_iata": "ARN", "datetime_takeoff": "2023-01-27T05:15:22", "runway_takeoff": "12R", "dest_icao": "EKCH", "dest_iata": "CPH", "dest_icao_actual": "EPWA", "dest_iata_actual": "WAW", "datetime_landed": "2023-01-27T06:15:10", "runway_landed": "27L", "flight_time": 3600, "actual_distance": 1007.74, "circle_distance": 6245, "category": "Passenger", "hex": "4A91F9", "first_seen": "2023-01-27T05:06:22", "last_seen": "2023-01-27T06:18:10", "flight_ended": "true" } ] }](https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Flight-summary-API-cover-300x148.jpg)
