Ryanair finds FAKE engine parts in two of its planes as Irish firm becomes the latest airline hit by bogus parts scandal

• The fake parts were found during maintenance checks in Texas and Brazil 
• Michael O’Leary said components came from British supplier AOG Technics  

Ryanair has become the latest airline to be hit by an international scandal after it found fake engine parts in two planes.

The parts were discovered during maintenance checks in Texas and Brazil during the past few months.

Major US carriers Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have also found suspect parts in their planes.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said the bogus components came from the British supplier AOG Technics, which is not one of Ryanair’s approved suppliers.

Regulators have been alerted to fake parts found in Boeing and Airbus planes this year and investigators have allegedly traced the supplies back to AOG Technics. Aviation watchdogs in the UK, US and Europe have accused the company of supplying engine parts with faked certification documents, raising concerns over safety.

Mr O’Leary called for tighter control of third-party jet engine suppliers. US engine maker CFM International has taken legal action against AOG Technics after its CFM56 model – the world’s most widely used jet engine – was allegedly affected by the scandal.

The Civil Aviation Authority, Britain’s watchdog, has issued a safety notice to airlines and said it was ‘investigating the supply of a large number of suspect unapproved parts’ that could, it said, be traced back to AOG Technics.

The EU Aviation Safety Agency said in August it was examining reports of parts with suspected falsified documents, while the US Federal Aviation Administration has warned airlines about the scandal. The US Justice Department is said to be in the early stages of a probe.

AOG Technics did not respond to a request for comment last night.