Air Astana reports improvement in PW1100G issues

Image: Air Astana

The Kazakh aviation group Air Astana reported an improvement in the situation regarding the PW1100G engines installed on its Airbus A320neo family aircraft—the backbone of its fleet. In the first quarter, only two cases of unscheduled engine removals due to design defects were recorded, compared to 22 cases throughout the entire year of 2025, according to the group’s report.

To minimize losses from aircraft downtime in such instances, the group acquired six spare engines during the quarter: four through leasing and two through direct purchase. Between January and March, the group performed 15 engine swaps at its Aviation Technical Center in Astana to optimize service life and maintain operational capacity.

Issues with the PW1100G due to a powder metal contamination defect have been observed since June 2023. Although Pratt & Whitney has been supplying new engines unaffected by this issue for two years, the accumulated volume of faulty engines requiring repair is expected to persist until 2028.

The estimated average turnaround time for an engine to return to service is currently around 18 months. However, Air Astana noted that the number of available repair slots for the PW1100G is growing; the number of repairs scheduled for the first half of this year alone is comparable to the figure for all of 2025. The company is also in negotiations to secure additional engines from both Pratt & Whitney and the open market.

Furthermore, new deliveries of A320neo family aircraft are unaffected by this problem, placing the group in a more favorable position regarding fleet growth rates compared to several competitors during this period, Air Astana said.

Currently, the group’s fleet includes 40 A320/321neo aircraft and 19 previous-generation ceo models. This year, the company plans to receive one additional A320 and two A321 jets.

CentralAsia+ Aero earlier reported: EASA certifies A320neo powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF Advantage engines.

CentralAsia+ Aero earlier reported: Air Astana Group commissions second full flight simulator.

CentralAsia+ Aero earlier reported: EASA issues warning over stolen aircraft engine parts.