This article is based on an official press release from GE Aerospace.

Engine Reliability: The New Currency for Asia-Pacific Airlines

For airlines operating in the Asia-Pacific region, the ability to adhere to a schedule has transcended basic operational metrics to become a critical determinant of financial survival. According to a recent release by GE Aerospace, reliability is no longer just a safety baseline but the “cornerstone” of the customer promise in a post-pandemic landscape where demand frequently outstrips supply.

While the region remains the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, carriers are currently navigating a “capacity crisis.” Supply-Chain shortages and engine durability issues have forced major airlines to ground fleets, impacting profitability and brand reputation. As manufacturers like GE Aerospace emphasize the strategic value of “time-on-wing,” independent industry data from early 2026 reveals the staggering financial toll that technical disruptions are exacting on carriers from New Zealand to Japan.

The “Harsh Environment” Challenge

GE Aerospace identifies the unique operating conditions of the Asia-Pacific region as a primary factor in engine performance. The combination of high ambient temperatures, humidity, and airborne dust or pollution creates a “hot and harsh” environment that accelerates component wear. These factors make “time-on-wing,” the duration an engine can fly before requiring removal for maintenance, a vital performance metric for airlines attempting to maintain high utilization rates.

In its statement, the manufacturer argues that in this volatile market, an airline’s competitive advantage lies in its ability to simply operate its published schedule. Unscheduled engine removals do not merely disrupt travel plans; they decimate thin profit margins by introducing unpredictable costs. To mitigate this, GE highlights its deep collaborations with regional carriers such as Japan Airlines (JAL) and Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), positioning Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) networks as essential support structures rather than logistical afterthoughts.

The Financial Reality: Groundings and Losses

While manufacturers focus on technical resilience, financial reports from 2025 and early 2026 illustrate the severe economic impact of engine unreliability. Independent market research indicates that no manufacturer is immune to the region’s challenging environment, and the costs of disruption are rising.

Air New Zealand has faced significant headwinds due to maintenance delays. According to financial data for the fiscal year 2025, the airline estimated the cost of these disruptions to be between $280 million and $320 million (NZD), with profits falling approximately 14%. These costs are largely attributed to the grounding of up to 11 aircraft necessitated by maintenance delays involving Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce engines.

Similarly, IndiGo reported a consolidated loss in the second quarter of the 2025 fiscal year. Industry analysis attributes this partly to the grounding of approximately 40 aircraft linked to powder metal issues in Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. To maintain its schedule, the carrier has aggressively pursued “damp lease” agreements to plug capacity gaps.

Other carriers facing similar hurdles include:

• Vietnam Airlines: As of late 2025, the carrier had grounded 28 aircraft, representing roughly 13% of its fleet, forcing route cuts despite record passenger demand.
• Cebu Pacific: The airline slashed growth targets after its grounded fleet peaked at 16 aircraft. By early 2026, it had reduced this number to approximately eight but was forced to purchase extra spare engines to sustain operations.
• ANA (All Nippon Airways): Growth for its AirJapan subsidiary stalled due to maintenance delays associated with Boeing 787 engines.

Manufacturer Landscape and Operational Stability

The operational strain has highlighted the divergent performance of major engine types. GE Aerospace asserts that its GEnx and CFM LEAP engines are performing robustly regarding time-on-wing metrics in the region. However, the manufacturer is not without its own challenges. In January 2026, Boeing and GE identified a durability issue with a seal on the new GE9X engine intended for the 777X, though they stated it would not delay the 2027 entry-into-service.

Competitors face steeper recovery curves. The Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan (GTF) fleet has been heavily impacted by powder metal defects, leading to widespread groundings of A320neo family aircraft. While “Advantage” upgrades are rolling out in 2026 to improve durability, the disruption has been substantial. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce is introducing durability enhancement packages for the Trent 1000 to address the frequent inspections that have plagued Boeing 787 operators.

AirPro News Analysis

The data suggests a fundamental shift in how Asia-Pacific airlines prioritize their assets. For years, fuel efficiency was the primary driver of fleet decisions. However, the “hot and harsh” reality of the region is forcing a pivot toward durability. When a fuel-efficient jet spends months parked in a hangar waiting for parts, its efficiency advantage evaporates.

We observe that airlines are increasingly treating reliability as a premium product attribute. Carriers like Singapore Airlines and ANA, which have maintained higher on-time performance scores according to 2026 Cirium data, are leveraging their operational stability to market themselves as dependable premium options. Conversely, the “chaos” of January 2026, where over 40 flights were cancelled across major hubs like Hong Kong and Jakarta, demonstrates that in a system with record load factors, there is zero slack for technical failure.

Ultimately, the industry is learning that resilience requires capital. Airlines are moving away from “just-in-time” maintenance strategies, instead choosing to bloat their balance sheets with spare engines and retained older aircraft to ensure they can meet their promise to the passenger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Asia-Pacific region harder on aircraft engines?

The region combines high ambient temperatures with high humidity and significant airborne dust or pollution. These factors accelerate the wear of turbine blades and other critical components, reducing the time an engine can stay on the wing before needing maintenance.

How are airlines managing the shortage of working engines?

Airlines are adopting several costly strategies: leasing aircraft from other carriers (“damp leasing”), purchasing additional spare engines to swap out quickly, and retaining older, less efficient aircraft that were scheduled for retirement.

Which airlines have been most affected by recent engine groundings?

Major carriers including Air New Zealand, IndiGo, Vietnam Airlines, and Cebu Pacific have all reported significant groundings and financial impacts throughout 2025 and early 2026 due to supply chain and durability issues.

Sources

• GE Aerospace