*

Wizz Air ( WZZAF ) aims to resolve engine issues by 2027, but

timeline

depends on Pratt & Whitney

*

Grounded aircraft reduced from 60 to 38, CFO Malin reports

at

ISTAT conference

*

CEO Varadi expresses confidence but no guarantee on fleet

availability by 2027

(Updates with CEO quotes, context)

By Tim Hepher and Marta Maciag

PRAGUE/GDANSK, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Wizz Air ( WZZAF ) aims

to end engine-related groundings of its Airbus aircraft

by the end of 2027, a top Wizz executive said on Tuesday, with

the CEO later adding that it was up to engine maker Pratt &

Whitney to determine the schedule.

The comments come as the airline industry continues to

complain of supply chain challenges around the world, including

from major engine manufacturers such as RTX-owned Pratt &

Whitney and CFM International.

The number of aircraft grounded by long waiting times for

inspections has fallen to 38 from a peak near 60, Wizz Chief

Financial Officer Ian Malin said. At the half-year stage, Wizz

said it had 41 aircraft grounded due to GTF engine-related

inspections.

"Overall, the plan right now is to get the entire fleet

unparked by the end of calendar year 2027. That is the target

that we're working towards," Malin told the International

Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) conference in

Prague.

"I mean we don't fully control our destiny here. We are at

the mercy of the manufacturer," Chief Executive Jozsef Varadi

later told journalists in Gdansk after his CFO spoke on Tuesday.

Varadi told Bloomberg in September that he aimed to turn

Wizz Air's ( WZZAF ) fortunes around by mid-2027.

Varadi said that he had "pretty good confidence" that the

entire fleet would be available by the end of 2027 but that

there was no "absolute guarantee."

A Wizz Air ( WZZAF ) spokesperson declined to provide official comment

on any changes to the timeline.

Hungary-based Wizz has struggled in recent years to compete

financially with other European carriers as it grapples with the

engine challenges. The groundings have limited its ability to

increase capacity and it has issued two profit warnings.

"Pratt is actually showing some availability of engines, but

the overall turnaround time is not improving...Pratt has said

that that's coming down. I haven't seen it yet," Malin said.

"It is extremely frustrating, because we've been dealing

with it for now two-and-a-half years," he added.

Pratt & Whitney parent RTX did not immediately

respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. aerospace group's CEO Chris Calio said in September

that cases of aircraft on the ground due to Pratt engines have

stabilized, and are expected to come down, but "clearly we have

more work to do."

The company expects maintenance, repair and overhaul

service to be up 30% year-over-year.