ITA Airways Threatens Legal War Over Engine Faults

At the IATA conference in Rio, the CEO of Italy’s ITA Airways, Joerg Eberhart, dropped a bomb. The airline will decide within eight weeks whether to sue RTX’s Pratt & Whitney.

The Damage

Engine problems have grounded almost 20% of ITA’s 80-aircraft fleet. The carrier has quantified the damage at €150 million.

The Context

This isn’t just ITA’s problem. Hundreds of Airbus A320neo jets are grounded globally due to the GTF engine powder metal contamination issue. For B2B consolidators, this means continued tight capacity and higher lease rates for narrow-body jets through 2026.