BRAND-NEW
Airbus To Seek an Independent Legal Assessment After Dispute with Qatar Airways Over Surface Degradation Following the on-going dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways over the surface degradation on the air carrier’s fleet of A350 aircrafts, Airbus announced that the company is preparing for an independent legal assessment.
A
irbus has addressed the
on the Airbus statement before
© Airbus
on-going controversy with
reviewing it.
Qatar Airways over the paint
The dispute between Airbus and
degradation of the airline’s fleet of
Qatar Airways became public in
A350 jetliners with a rare statement
May 2021, six months after Qatar
in which the company announced
Airways sent an A350 to be stripped
an independent legal assessment
and repainted in special livery for
to resolve the dispute, as the two
the FIFA World Cup, which will take
parties have been unable to settle
place in Qatar this year.
during direct and open discussions.
At first, this was presented as an
Qatar Airways declared that the
isolated issue related to Qatar’s
surface degradation on its A350
severe heat. However, according
aircrafts led to the grounding of
to a private maintenance message
20 jets by its domestic aviation
board used by Airbus and A350
regulator. However, in its statement,
operators and reviewed by Reuters,
Airbus pointed out that “the surface
at least five other airlines had
paint-related findings have been
complained about paint or other
thoroughly assessed by Airbus and confirmed by the European Aviation
skin flaws since late 2016. Reuters also published exclusive photographs
Safety Agency (EASA) as having no airworthiness impact on the A350
that show exposed and corroded lightning protection beneath cracked
fleet”. “The attempt by this customer to misrepresent this specific
paint.
topic as an airworthiness issue represents a threat to the international protocols on safety matters”, continued Airbus. “While Airbus regrets
Where the problem may stem from
the need to follow such a path, it has become necessary to defend its
When Airbus 15 years ago launched the A350, it chose to use carbon-
position and reputation. Airbus has worked actively with its customers
fibre instead of metal, making the jet lighters and thus reducing fuel
in order to minimise the impact and any inconvenience caused by this
consumptions. However, experts say these are harder to deck out in a
in-service surface degradation on the aircraft. These solutions have all
way that makes paint stick.
been dismissed by the above-mentioned customer without legitimate
The new jets also need a layer of metallic mesh to dissipate lightning
justification”.
strikes because carbon-fibre is not conductive.
Airbus also stated that, in parallel, the company is working to re-
Finally, unlike metal, carbon does not expand and shrink as
establish a constructive dialogue with the customer on this matter but
temperatures change but paint does – a factor that can cause peeling
that it is not willing to accept “inaccurate statements of this kind to
over time.
continue”. According to Reuters1, Airbus officials confirmed the statement referred
For further information: www.airbus.com/en
to Qatar Airways. A spokesman for the airline said it would not comment
and www.qatarairways.com
1
https://reut.rs/3yNldTU
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N. 73 - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
