After Boeing's quality issues, Airbus experienced a surge in orders, but the aviation industry now painfully realizes that the quality of Airbus aircraft may not be so reliable.

On Monday, a Cathay Pacific Airways aircraft was forced to return due to a component failure. After resolving the issue with the flight, Cathay Pacific inspected all their A350 aircraft of the same type and discovered that out of 48 aircraft, 15 had engine component failures.

So far, Cathay Pacific Airways has canceled nearly 70 flights and stated that flight disruptions will continue until this weekend or even longer as repair work continues.

Following Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines have also announced that they will inspect their A350 aircraft. It is reported that more airlines are seeking clarification from Airbus and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce. Two sources revealed that this has forced Airbus and Rolls-Royce to publicly clarify the situation.

Sources say that Airbus' briefing could take place as early as Thursday.

Big trouble?

On Monday, Cathay Pacific Airways' flight CX383 experienced fuel leakage and had to return to Hong Kong approximately 75 minutes after takeoff. Cathay Pacific Airways stated that this was the first A350 aircraft in the world to experience this type of failure. According to media reports, the failure is related to deformation and degradation of the fuel supply pipeline.

According to insiders, there is currently no evidence to prove that the A350 aircraft has widespread problems, but this possibility cannot be ruled out. Perhaps more airlines need to be involved in the investigation to draw a conclusion.

However, the aircraft manufacturer has consistently advised against conducting a global investigation, claiming that it would affect efficiency and result in grounding losses. However, the final decision power lies in the hands of regulatory agencies.

The European Aviation Safety Agency, the regulatory authority in the location of Airbus, is still observing the situation and claims to be conducting evaluations, so it is not convenient to make further comments. The US Federal Aviation Administration stated that it will maintain communication with the European Aviation Safety Agency and respond based on Europe's findings and actions. The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department also stated that it will closely monitor the engine problems of Cathay Pacific's A350.

The potential trouble that Airbus' engine problem may cause in the aviation industry remains unknown. Until reliable and stable aircraft supply from Boeing can be seen globally, Airbus has almost become the only reliable source. If Airbus is exposed to quality issues, it will be a huge blow to the entire aviation industry.

According to industry insiders, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Japan Airlines are the main airlines operating the A350 aircraft. There are a total of 612 A350 aircraft in service worldwide, and as many as 88 aircraft with engine failures have been discovered.