Hong Kong’s flagship airline, Cathay Pacific, has cancelled dozens of flights after a Zurich-bound plane had to return to Hong Kong due to an “engine component failure.” The airline inspected all 48 of its Airbus A350 aircraft and found that 15 had faulty parts needing replacement. The affected planes are powered by Trent XWB-97 engines manufactured by British engineering firm Rolls-Royce.

Since Monday, Cathay Pacific has cancelled nearly 70 flights, impacting routes between Hong Kong and cities including Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei. The disruptions are expected to continue until at least Saturday.

“At Cathay, safety of our customers and our people guides every decision we make,” the airline stated. “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding.”

Rolls-Royce expressed its commitment to supporting Cathay Pacific, Airbus, and relevant authorities in resolving the issue. “As well as providing support and guidance to Cathay Pacific, Rolls-Royce will also keep other airlines that operate Trent XWB-97 engines fully informed of any relevant developments as appropriate,” the company said.

Cathay Pacific’s A350s also operate on routes to Europe and North America. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is monitoring the situation and may take further action based on the technical investigation.

Other airlines using A350s with similar engines include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Japan Airlines has stated that it is “reviewing the situation with Rolls Royce” and will “take the necessary action based on this information.”

Earlier this year, Rolls-Royce announced plans to invest heavily in improving its range of engines, including the Trent XWB-97. In 2023, Tim Clark, CEO of Emirates, raised concerns about the engine’s durability and the costs of maintenance charged by Rolls-Royce.