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Airbus cancels jet contract with Qatar amid legal battle over recent deliveries

By Shubhangi on Jan 22, 2022 | 03:32 AM IST

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Airbus and Qatar Airways have been in a legal fight over recent delivery of Airbus A350s

Qatar Airways complained that the paint on the Airbus A350s was cracking and peeling

Airbus SE on Friday scrapped a $6 billion jet contract with Qatar Airways Ltd., as the two are engrossed in a legal battle over recent delivery of Airbus A350s.

Airbus and Qatar Airways have been in a legal fight for many months now after the airline complained that the paint on the Airbus A350s was cracking and peeling.

CEO of the world’s largest long-haul airline, Akbar Al Baker complained early last year that the paint issue exposed copped meshing used to insulate aircraft against lightning strike.

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In a lawsuit, Qatar Airways alleged that the paint issue is a safety risk and has therefore grounded the affected aircraft. It also refused deliveries of the rest of the planes and is seeking $700 million as compensation from Airbus.

The world’s largest planemaker Airbus has admitted the paint with some A350s delivered to Qatar and other customers.

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The planemaker, though, said that the problem is not a safely issue and the demands by Qatar are unnecessary. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency also did not find any safety concerns.

Airbus accuses Qatar of exaggerating the issue in order to get compensation for the groundings. It said in a filing on Thursday that as Qatar Airways refuses to take the remaining planes which amounts to default, it is allowed to cancel any other contract with the airline.

Picture Credit: Reuters

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