Kingfisher Airlines seems unable to achieve a smooth landing after hiccups over payment of dues. This time it's engine troubles and NDTV learnt from its sources that 12 of the airline's 71 strong fleet is grounded because engines manufactured by IAE have technical problems.
While Kingfisher confirms the problem, the US based engine manufacturer says the problem is not grave. The airline is upset about not getting adequate support while IAE maintains that they have gone beyond their contractual obligations.
The engine manufacturer also maintains that there is no federal aviation authority notification against its engines as claimed by Kingfisher.
Also, the engine manufacturer dismisses Kingfisher's claims of services being affected by saying that the problem has limited impact.
Sources from other airlines with the same engine make have said that perhaps the problem is not serious enough to have grounded the aircraft.
In case of Kingfisher, it is also in an ongoing dispute with its maintenance vendor Lufthansa Technique.
However, this may not be a one off case since airlines have been facing engine issues in the past few months even with the other makes.
Dinesh Keskar, president of Boeing, India, said, "There have been issues with the GE engine mounted over the 777s. GE is looking into the problem and internationally, airlines are now getting the updated version of the engines."
Meanwhile, a troubled aviation industry would have wished this problem away. For all the liquidity issues that face the airlines today, nothing is more important than safety. But in difficult times airlines as well as vendors do a tight rope walk.