Etihad Airbus A350 Flying From Chicago to Abu Dhabi Diverts to Heathrow on One Active Engine

An Etihad Airways Airbus A350-1000, operating flight EY10 from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Abu Dhabi (AUH), was forced to divert to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) after experiencing engine issues. The aircraft, registered as A6-XWF, was returning to Etihad’s hub after staying in Chicago for two days due to an earlier flight cancellation.

After departing Chicago on September 28, the aircraft, operating under the unusual flight code ETD76TA, encountered engine problems mid-flight, reportedly operating on just one active engine. As a precaution, the flight crew diverted to London Heathrow, where the aircraft landed safely at 6:33 local time. Following an inspection and necessary maintenance, the A350 departed from Heathrow later that evening at 20:42 and arrived safely in Abu Dhabi on September 29 at 5:55 local time.

The aircraft resumed regular commercial service the following day, departing for Zurich on September 30.

Ruling Out Engine Issues

Etihad had previously conducted voluntary inspections of its A350-1000 fleet, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, and reported no similar engine issues. This precaution came after Cathay Pacific encountered an engine fire on one of its A350-1000s in early September, which prompted a review of A350 engines across the industry. Despite the incident, Etihad Airways has assured the safety of its fleet, which includes five A350-1000s.