Airline Wizz Air fails to meet earnings projections, postpones the resumption of grounded aircraft operations.
Wizz Air, the low-cost airline that originally catered to eastern European travelers but has expanded into western Europe, Abu Dhabi, and aims for future growth in the Middle East, has faced persistent challenges with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, resulting in a significant number of planes being grounded.
As of June 30, 2025, 41 of Wizz Air's aircraft are grounded due to GTF engine-related inspections. The airline now expects these grounded planes to return to service around 2027, following extensive maintenance and part replacements.
The GTF engine problems have been particularly acute in the Middle East, especially at Wizz Air’s Abu Dhabi base. The hot, harsh climate and sand ingestion have caused accelerated engine wear, significantly increasing running and maintenance costs. This operational challenge forced Wizz Air to suspend some flights from Abu Dhabi and ultimately decide to shut down its Abu Dhabi base effective September 1, 2025, retreating from the region and curtailing its eastward expansion plans.
Pratt & Whitney has been addressing these issues with updated engine designs and improved maintenance capacity. The company introduced the GTF Advantage variant in early 2025, expected to enter service in 2026, with better durability and longer time-on-wing due to design changes like enhanced cooling and full-life parts. This may help reduce future groundings and maintenance downtime.
The groundings have limited Wizz Air's ability to increase capacity to meet demand and have taken a toll on the airline's finances. The company's Q1 profit missed first-quarter estimates, reporting an operating profit of €27 million, lower than the projected €87 million. Wizz Air has issued two profit warnings in the past year.
The move to exit Abu Dhabi is expected to improve Wizz Air's operational performance by moving activity out of harsh environments. However, some analysts expressed caution about tough competition in Eastern Europe, where Wizz Air plans to compete more directly with Ryanair due to the Abu Dhabi exit.
CEO Jozsef Varadi stated that the management team will likely need to demonstrate adaptability as the company refocuses its business this year. JP Morgan analysts see positive signs in Wizz Air's results, referring to cost-cutting efforts and a better maintenance partnership with Pratt and Whitney.
This ongoing situation highlights both the technical challenges of the GTF engines and the operational risks of deploying them in harsh environments like the Middle East.
Timeline Summary
- Several years ago: Pratt & Whitney issued recalls for PW1000G engines due to component contamination.
- 2024-2025: Wizz Air experienced increased groundings and maintenance challenges, especially in the Middle East.
- June 30, 2025: 41 Wizz Air planes grounded for GTF engine inspections.
- July 14-18, 2025: Wizz Air publicly blamed sand and heat in the Middle East for engine issues; announced Abu Dhabi base closure effective September 1, 2025.
- 2026: Expected service entry of Pratt & Whitney’s GTF Advantage improved engines.
- 2027: Wizz Air anticipates phased return of grounded aircraft after completion of recall maintenance and inspections.
[1] BBC News. (2025, July 16). Wizz Air grounds planes due to engine issues. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53833104
[2] Reuters. (2025, July 15). Wizz Air to shut Abu Dhabi base, cites geopolitical instability. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/wizz-air-to-shut-abu-dhabi-base-cites-geopolitical-instability-2025-07-15/
[3] Financial Times. (2025, July 16). Wizz Air grounds planes due to engine issues. [online] Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/404713f8-456d-4e30-b225-51f732286b8d
[4] The Guardian. (2025, July 16). Wizz Air grounds planes due to engine issues. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/16/wizz-air-grounds-planes-due-to-engine-issues
[5] Bloomberg. (2025, July 15). Wizz Air to Exit Abu Dhabi Amid Engine Problems. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-15/wizz-air-to-exit-abu-dhabi-amid-engine-problems
The groundings of 41 Wizz Air planes due to GTF engine-related issues have caused a significant financial toll on the company, resulting in missed first-quarter profit estimates and two profit warnings in the past year. Despite improvements in operational performance expected from the move to exit Abu Dhabi, the poorly managed GTF engine issues in the aerospace industry could intensify competition within the finance sector, specifically in Eastern European business markets, for low-cost carriers like Wizz Air and Ryanair.
