Mexico City, Mexico - Mexican carrier Interjet, which is currently struggling with financial difficulties, grounded four Airbus A320 jets. The grounding of planes raised concern among lessors.
The company says the jets have been grounded for major maintenance, but according to data compiled from flight trackers, three of them haven’t flown since at least October. Interjet also said the two of four grounded Airbus A320s will be returned to the lessors after maintenance and replaced by newer jets.
Airline's one of the eight newly acquired Airbus A321neo jets has also been on the ground since November 2019.
We have an excellent relationship with our lessors, and we’re working with some of them to restructure our current leasing conditions Every airline has its own maintenance schedules.
the company said in an email statement.
Passenger planes require maintenance at different levels. But even the most intensive maintenance work (D-Check), requires only a month of grounding. Three of the Airbus A320s grounded by Interjet are 18 years old on average, while the grounded A321neo is only one and a half years old. According to the sources who are close to the airline, one lessor doubts that the airline is using the planes as part donors to keep other aircraft in operation.
In 2017, the carrier kept four Sukhoi Superjet 100 jets on the ground due to the lack of spare parts. Interjet used grounded superjets as spare part suppliers.
Problems in the supply chain of the Russian-made regional jet led to flight cancellations and caused revenue losses. Only four out of 22 SSJ100s are still active.
Interjet is the third-largest carrier of Mexico.