Qatar Airways sues Airbus over A350 damage dispute
Qatar Airways is reportedly suing aircraft manufacturer Airbus, taking it to court in the UK over a damage dispute concerning the A350 model.
“We have sadly failed in all our attempts to reach a constructive solution with Airbus in relation to the accelerated surface degradation condition adversely impacting the Airbus A350 aircraft,” the carrier said in a statement.
“Qatar Airways has therefore been left with no alternative but to seek a rapid resolution of this dispute via the courts.”
The airline will start legal proceedings in the High Court’s technology and construction division.
The row – which has seen the airline and the plane maker at odds for months – took place after the Qatari carrier was forced to ground some of its aircraft because of damages to the planes’ surface.
Considering it a cosmetic issue, the plane maker initially blamed Qatar Airways’ thermal cycle, later accepting the issue was more widespread when more airlines came forward with similar issues.
“They don’t have a solution because they still don’t know why it is happening,” said Qatar Airways’ chief executive Akbar al Baker during an Aviation Club’s lunch on 30 November.
“When there is a problem it is always better to admit it, not to put your customer in a corner and blame them for something which is actually your own problem.”
Qatar Airways’ decision came a few days after UK investment minister Gerry Grimstone signed up to act as mediator in the dispute after Airbus threatened to go to court and ask for an independent legal assessment.
Upon receiving the formal claim, Airbus stated it will “vigorously defend its position.”