British Airways grounds Boeing 787s amid Rolls-Royce engine parts shortage

British Airways (BA) has been forced to ground several Boeing 787 Dreamliners and cancel hundreds of long-haul flights due to a shortage of spare parts for Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, the airline confirmed. The disruption is expected to impact BA’s winter schedule from November 2024 to April 2025.

According to reports from AeroTime and The Financial Times, approximately six Boeing 787 Dreamliners, representing about 15% of BA’s Dreamliner fleet, have been grounded. This has led to significant adjustments in the airline’s flight schedule, affecting key routes.

BA will suspend its daily service between London Gatwick and New York’s JFK airport from December 12, 2024, until the end of March 2025. The carrier is also reducing flights between London Heathrow and Doha, and delaying the launch of new routes to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The Heathrow-Kuala Lumpur route has been postponed until April 2025.

A BA spokesperson expressed regret over the disruptions, stating, “We’ve taken this action because we do not believe the issue will be solved quickly, and we want to offer our customers the certainty they deserve for their travel plans.”

The airline says it is working to accommodate affected passengers, offering most travelers alternative flights on the same day with BA or partner airlines.

Rolls-Royce, the manufacturer of the Trent 1000 engines, acknowledged the challenges facing the entire aerospace industry. A company spokesperson said, “We continue to work with British Airways and all our customers to minimize the impact of the limited availability of spares due to the current supply chain constraints.”

This latest setback adds to BA’s recent operational struggles. The airline has faced increased flight delays and cancellations since the end of COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions in 2022, according to a Financial Times analysis of UK aviation regulator data.

Rolls-Royce acknowledged the challenges, stating that the parts shortage is affecting the entire aerospace industry. The company is working with BA to mitigate the impact, but supply chain constraints, which Rolls-Royce previously warned could last until 2026, continue to pose hurdles.

Simple Flying reported similar Trent 1000 engine problems affecting other airlines, including Air Tanzania, Air New Zealand, and Gulf Air. This suggests a broader industry issue with these engines and their maintenance.

While BA has used Boeing 777 aircraft as a temporary solution, these aircraft now require routine maintenance, further exacerbating the situation, The Financial Times reported. BA executives, in an internal memo seen by the British newspaper, admitted the difficulties faced this summer, citing “external challenges.”