Qatar Airways has issued legal proceedings against Airbus in the Technology and Construction division of the High Court in London.
In a statement, the airline said: “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.
“Qatar Airways has therefore been left with no alternative but to seek a rapid resolution of this dispute via the courts.
Qatar Airways currently has 21 A350 aircraft grounded, which has resulted in limitations to its fleet capacity.
The issue is related to an accelerated surface degradation condition impacting the surface of the aircraft below the paint, as mandated by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA).
It has been forced to deploy at least five of the airline’s 10 A380 aircraft on a temporary basis over the coming weeks to support fleet capacity on key winter routes.
“We strongly believe that Airbus must undertake a thorough investigation of this condition to conclusively establish its full root cause,” the statement continued.
“Without a proper understanding of the root cause of the condition, it is not possible for Qatar Airways to establish whether any proposed repair solution will rectify the underlying condition.”
