Delta Air Lines has discovered unapproved parts in “a small number” of its jet engines, becoming the latest airline and the fourth major U.S. carrier to disclose the use of counterfeit parts.
The suspect parts were found on an unspecified number of its engines, a spokesman for the airline said Monday, but Delta declined to identify them. The spokesman said these engines accounted for less than 1% of its mainline fleet of more than 2,100 power plants.
American Airlines Group Inc., United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Southwest Airlines previously disclosed that parts from AOG Technics Ltd. were found on aircraft engines. The London-based company is at the center of a regulatory investigation into selling engine spare parts for use in long-term models of jet engines produced by CFM International, a joint venture of General Electric Co and Safran Group.
Delta would not say whether the engine with the fraudulent parts was ever on the plane while it was in service. The spokesman said the problematic parts, which are certified by AOG, were discovered by an unnamed third party during engine work.
Bloomberg calculated, based on data provided by the airline, that as many as 21 Delta engines may be affected, which may be the most among U.S. airlines that have disclosed figures. GE said as many as 96 engines were affected by parts provided by AOG.
“One of our engine service providers has informed Delta that a small number of engines they overhaul for us contain certain parts that do not meet documentation requirements,” the company said in a statement. “We are working with the overhaul provider to Replace these parts and continue to follow all FAA guidelines.”
A Delta spokesman said that none of Delta’s aircraft are currently flying with unapproved parts and that the discovery has not affected flight operations.
Airlines, maintenance providers and regulators around the world have been scouring records to track parts supplied by AOG with falsified airworthiness documents after European authorities determined in August that AOG-supplied parts brokers supplied questionable parts.Virgin Australia also find engine with questionable parts.
Last month, a London judge ordered AOG to turn over records to help identify other suspect parts after GE and Safran filed a lawsuit seeking documents related to “every product sale.”
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