British Airways Struggles with Flight Cancellations: Shortage of Spare Parts Affects Winter Flight Schedule

British Airways is compelled to cancel hundreds of long-haul flights this coming winter due to supply chain bottlenecks that are limiting the availability of their aircraft. A particularly affected route is the new connection from Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur, whose launch has now been postponed. The daily frequency between London Gatwick and New York and between London Heathrow and Doha will also be reduced. The airline, a member of the International Airlines Group, attributes the cancellations to delays in the delivery of engines and spare parts by Rolls-Royce. The main impact is on the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines of their Boeing 787 fleet. Since the end of travel restrictions in 2022, British Airways has been grappling with operational challenges. Data from the British aviation authority shows that delays and cancellations have doubled. The management of British Airways acknowledges the necessity to improve reliability but points out that many of the current difficulties are beyond their direct control. In addition to engine problems, increased delays in air traffic control contribute to the situation. The spare parts issue means that five of the 40 Boeing 787s must remain grounded, necessitating the use of substitute Boeing 777 aircraft. However, these now require routine maintenance, creating additional challenges. British Airways emphasizes that they have informed Rolls-Royce of the consequences of these bottlenecks and requested a swift resolution. Rolls-Royce states that they are working intensively to minimize the impact of limited spare part availability, caused by supply chain difficulties. The company plans to invest one billion pounds over the next five years in improving its Trent engines to enhance their fuel efficiency and durability.