QATAR Airways is suing Airbus at the High Court in London, escalating a dispute between the aircraft manufacturer and one of its biggest customers of the allegedly inferior paint job on its aircraft.
Airbus has acknowledged surface degradation issues have affected other customers, though it maintains they are non-structural, stemming from differing thermal properties of the A350's carbon-composite shell, its outer paint coatings and a layer of copper lightning protection.
Each are affected by temperature swings which can be extreme in Doha, where highs average 108 degrees fahrenheit in July.
The legal action comes after a months-long battle which has seen qatar stop taking deliveries of the A350 widebody and lashed out publicly at Airbus over the paint and surface quality of the planes.
Airbus this month took the unusual step of issuing a statement criticising its customer's 'ongoing mischaracterisation' of the issue and said it has been preparing for an independent legal review.
Qatar said in a statement late Monday it would lodge a case and is seeking a rapid resolution. The carrier, which has had 21 aircraft idled on safety grounds by its local regulator, started a legal process 'to ensure that Airbus will now address our legitimate concerns without further delay.'
Airbus confirmed it has received a formal claim and is in the process of analysing the contents, stating it 'intends to vigorously defend its position.'
SeaNews Turkey
Airbus has acknowledged surface degradation issues have affected other customers, though it maintains they are non-structural, stemming from differing thermal properties of the A350's carbon-composite shell, its outer paint coatings and a layer of copper lightning protection.
Each are affected by temperature swings which can be extreme in Doha, where highs average 108 degrees fahrenheit in July.
The legal action comes after a months-long battle which has seen qatar stop taking deliveries of the A350 widebody and lashed out publicly at Airbus over the paint and surface quality of the planes.
Airbus this month took the unusual step of issuing a statement criticising its customer's 'ongoing mischaracterisation' of the issue and said it has been preparing for an independent legal review.
Qatar said in a statement late Monday it would lodge a case and is seeking a rapid resolution. The carrier, which has had 21 aircraft idled on safety grounds by its local regulator, started a legal process 'to ensure that Airbus will now address our legitimate concerns without further delay.'
Airbus confirmed it has received a formal claim and is in the process of analysing the contents, stating it 'intends to vigorously defend its position.'
SeaNews Turkey