Philippine Airlines (PR, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) president Stanley Ng has told Aviation Daily that he expects up to two more A321neo to be grounded due to the "maintenance backlogs for Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engines" in a worst-case scenario. The carrier has identified four engines that could be affected by recently discovered powder metal issues with some of the engine's components.
Based on ch-aviation fleets and Spire Global satellite ADS-B data, PAL currently operates five of its eight A321neo, with three out of six A321-200Ns on the ground in Manila while both of its A321-200NX are still in service.
Ng also told Aviation Daily during the recent AAPA Assembly of Presidents in Singapore that the delivery timetable for its remaining thirteen A321neo is still unclear, with the Filipino carrier having to, therefore, rely on its A320ceo family fleet as a backup solution as and when other neo aircraft get grounded. Together with subsidiary PAL Express (2P, Manila Ninoy Aquino International), it operates fifteen A320-200s and twenty-two A321-200s.
The longest stage length routes in its current A321neo network, based on ch-aviation schedules data, are Manila to Brisbane International and Perth International with scheduled block times exceeding seven hours, routes where it could not easily replace its neo family aircraft with older generation ceo aircraft.
