The Dutch regional airline KLM Cityhopper is continuing to have mechanical issues with its fleet of new Embraer E195 E2 jets and their Pratt & Whitney engines.
As a result of the ongoing difficulties, KLM Cithopper will not hand back a number of the older model E190s when their leases expire and in some cases cancel and amend its flying schedule to mitigate some of the disruption. The airline is also wet-leasing in other aircraft to fill in for the missing E195 E2s.
The airline said it was making minor adjustments to its summer timetable which will affect flights scheduled to depart several months from now, thereby allowing customers to be rebooked onto alternative flights well in advance.
'Due to technical issues, KLM Cityhopper is having difficulty fully deploying the E2. KLM Cityhopper is consulting with Embraer and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to seek a solution for these issues, which have no impact on flight safety.'
KLM is also experiencing a shortage of staff within its engineering department which is also a contributory factor in returning planes to their operating scheduled flying from routine checks and maintenance. The Dutch Union NVLT has already warned that the skilled staff shortage will have a negative impact on the nation's aviation industry, possibly leading to stagnation.
Another KLM subsidiary, Transavia is also experiencing fleet problems that has caused the cancellation of dozens of flights and looks set to continue through the summer. According to local reports, at least eight Transavia aircraft are currently out of action with maintenance problems, including lightening and bird strikes.