Delta Uncovers Unauthorized Components In Jets In Growing Industry Scandal

Delta Air Lines Inc DAL recently unearthed the presence of unauthorized components within some of its jet engines, joining the ranks of major U.S. airlines that have found fake parts in their machinery.

While the specific nature of these components remains undisclosed, they represent less than 1% of the over 2,100 engines in Delta’s primary fleet, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Other airlines, including American Airlines Group Inc. AAL, United Airlines Holdings Inc. UAL, and Southwest Airlines Co. LUV, had earlier reported discovering parts associated with AOG Technics Ltd.

This London-based firm is currently under regulatory investigation over the spare parts it provided for a specific model of jet engine produced by CFM International Inc., a collaboration between General Electric Co. GE and Safran SA SAFRY.

Delta has yet to clarify whether the planes equipped with these erroneously documented components were operational.

The flawed parts, accredited by AOG, were spotted during an engine assessment conducted by an undisclosed third-party entity.

Based on data shared by Delta and analyzed by external sources, up to 21 of the airline’s engines could be compromised, the highest count among U.S. airlines that have revealed such numbers.

Delta confirmed receiving information from an engine service partner regarding a minor proportion of engines they revamped, which included parts falling short of documentation standards.

“Working with the overhaul provider, we are in the process of replacing those parts and remain in compliance with all FAA guidelines,” the airline told Bloomberg.

The Delta spokesman added that none of Delta’s aircraft are currently flying with unapproved parts, and the discovery has not affected flight operations.

In the wake of the revelation, airlines and maintenance firms worldwide have intensified their scrutiny, searching for any AOG-supplied parts with falsified airworthiness documents. 

Such probes commenced after European officials deduced last August that AOG had provided dubious components. 

In a recent development, AOG faced a directive from a London-based judge to relinquish records, aiding the identification of more questionable components after a legal pursuit initiated by General Electric and Safran, wherein they sought documents linked to every single sale of products.

Price Action: DAL shares are trading lower by 0.71% at $36.19 in premarket on the last check Tuesday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.