Pratt & Whitney believes that it will be able to stabilise engine issues by the end of the decade, with its Airbus A220 and Embraer E2 aircraft-on-ground (AOG) issues resolved by the end of this year. Its aircraft on ground due to the geared turbofan (GTF) recall triggered by powdered metal contamination was down over 20% in the fourth quarter from its peak in 2025, while it sees its A220 and E2 fleet as "completely out of AOG risk", says Rick Deurloo, Pratt & Whitney’s president of commercial engines, on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow on 4 February. In January 2026, there were 663, representing 33.5% of all A320neo-family aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines, listed as stored, compared with 719 aircraft, or 37.6%, at its peak in October 2025, Cirium fleets data shows. The figures also include aircraft that have been parked for reasons unrelated to the powdered metal issues. Meanwhile, Deurloo details that from conversations with operators A220 and E2 AOGs are in the single digits, with "a clear line of sight coming out of AOG risk". "If you think about the impact powdered metal had, this particular fleet already had in its in its maintenance schedule coming in because of LLPs, so we had already planned for it, so it was less impactful from a powdered metal perspective," he explains. Fleet data shows that stored A220 and E2s powered by the GTF engines have steadily decreased from a high of 142, or 24.8% of the total fleet, in March 2025 to 113, or 16.4%, in January. Overall, he believes that engine issues that the industry is facing should ease up: "We feel confident by the end of this decade, we're going to be in more of a normalised state." He clarifies that "normalisation" does not mean zero AOGs but adds instead that these would be "much more manageable" as it continues to deliver capacity to Airbus and Embraer. Prior to that, however, there is still work to be done, with a key aspect to improvements being its ramp up in MRO capacity and its Advantage engines, which he expects to be "shipping in the coming weeks, months" with full production by the first quarter of 2028. "So we are making great progress, lots of work to do. I won't take away that every meeting I'm in with customers, obviously it's [AOGs] first and foremost on their mind, like it is on ours. But we're starting to demonstrate that progress, and they're starting to feel it," he adds.

Boeing will deliver the first 787-9s and -10s with an increase in maximum take-off weight (MTOW) during the second half of the year but has been tight-lipped on which airline will be the first operator to take them. Boeing's vice president commercial marketing, Darren Hulst, says during a briefing at the Singapore Airshow that the weight increase will add around 10,000lbs (4.5 tonnes) of additional MTOW of the -9 and 14,000lbs (6.35t) to the -10. "Those aircraft are actually already in the production system, moving through towards certification, and we anticipate deliveries of those aircraft beginning the first half of this year," he says. "So we're really close, really excited about what that offers, because those capabilities provide airlines either the ability to fly about 400 miles of additional range or five to six tons of additional cargo payload on the existing markets they already fly." Hulst confirms that the increased weight is now the production standard for the 787-9 and -10 and "it's just a question of whether the airlines need it or want it as part of their own fleet". While Hulst would not identify the first operator for the higher weight increase, Air New Zealand is widely tipped to take the first heavier 787-9, with the additional range expected to benefit its nonstop flights from Auckland to New York JFK. Fleets data shows that out of the five 787-9s and five -10s on order, it has one 787-9 tentatively due for delivery in March and another in July. Boeing holds orders for 716 787-9s and 357 787-10s, plus 27 of the smaller -8 variant, the data shows.

Indian regulators have advised Air India to circulate among its pilots the Boeing-recommended procedures for operation of 787 fuel cut-off switches, following a finding that "external force in an incorrect direction" had caused one to "move easily from 'Run' to 'Cutoff'". The advice was issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after Air India pilots had reported a defect on a flight operated with a 787-8 (registered VT-ANX) from London to Bengaluru on 1 February. During engine start-up in London, the pilots twice observed that one of the two fuel cut-off switches "did not remain positively latched in the 'Run' position when light vertical pressure was applied", writes the DGCA. It adds: "On the third attempt, the switch latched correctly in 'Run' and subsequently remained stable." Before continuing with the rest of the procedure, the crew performed a physical verification to confirm that the switch was "fully and positively latched". After landing, Air India sought guidance from Boeing, while its own maintenance staff inspected the fuel cut-off switches, conducting checks recommended by the airframer. “Both left and right switches were checked and found satisfactory," the DGCA says, noting: "When full force was applied parallel to the base plate, the switch remained secure." But it adds: "Applying external force in an incorrect direction caused the switch to move easily from 'Run' to 'Cutoff', due to the angular base plate allowing slip when pressed improperly with finger or thumb." The switches' pull-to-unlock force was checked on the affected jet plus another 787 and a spare fuel-control unit, and in all cases "was found within limits", says the regulator. These inspections were carried out in the presence of DGCA officers, it notes. The DGCA makes reference to a social-media video that shows an "incorrect" procedure for the fuel cut-off switches, and says it advised Air India to circulate the Boeing-recommended procedure to crew members. Boeing advised: "We are in contact with Air India and are supporting their review of this matter." Air India has been contacted for comment. The fuel cut-off switches are at the center of the investigation into the Air India 787 crash in Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau determined that the two fuel-control switches on board the aircraft "transitioned from 'Run' to 'Cutoff' position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec", three to four seconds after the twinjet's lift-off. The pilots subsequently returned the fuel-control switches to the 'Run' position in an effort to regain power, but the aircraft had begun to descend by the time it crossed the airport boundary. It crashed 32s after lift-off.