Swiss International Air Lines has decided to permanently withdraw 2 of its nine Airbus A220-100 aircraft and use them for spare parts, after first considering grounding the entire sub-fleet.

The move is intended to help keep its larger A220-300 jets flying, as the airline battles Pratt and Whitney GTF engine problems and a shortage of replacement parts affecting operators around the world.

The decision shows how carriers are trying to protect schedules as long-running engine reliability issues continue to disrupt small and mid-sized fleets. Swiss has not disclosed when the aircraft will be dismantled, but the parts will support ongoing operations.

Swiss had initially planned to ground all nine of its A220-100 aircraft, according to aviationweek.com. It later moved further, choosing to retire 2 jets from service entirely and break them up for components.

The A220 family is central to the airline’s short-haul network. The smaller A220-100 variant and the larger A220-300 share the same basic platform, but the airline appears to be prioritising the more widely used larger version in order to reduce disruption.

Pratt and Whitney’s geared turbofan engines have caused headaches for airlines globally, with inspections, removals and delivery delays affecting aircraft availability. Swiss is among the carriers taking exceptional steps to keep planes in the air while waiting for parts and engine support to improve.

Using retired aircraft as a source of spares has become a practical response for some operators facing prolonged maintenance pressure. For Swiss, the move creates a short-term buffer while it continues to manage its A220 fleet through the engine issue.

The airline has not said whether more aircraft could be withdrawn if the problems persist. The decision, however, underlines the scale of the operational strain caused by engine supply constraints across the sector.