Qatar Airways received the first Airbus A350 since December 2020 and after going through a legal dispute with the European manufacturer over defects in the exterior paintwork of some of its aircraft. The delivery took place on Saturday 13 May and represented an important step in the process of normalising relations between the two companies.
The aircraft, an A350-1000 registered A7-ANT, landed at Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) from Toulouse-Blagnac International Airport (TLS) after a flight of almost six hours. It became the 20th of the variant to join the airline’s fleet.
See also: Airbus and Qatar Airways reach a settlement in their legal dispute over the A350
Qatar Airways and Airbus normalise their relation
Over a period of nearly two years, Qatar Airways and Airbus waged a bitter legal dispute after the carrier alleged that the paint on its new A350s was peeling and exposing the material underneath.
As a result, the airline grounded 21 aircraft that it claimed could pose a risk to passengers. In addition, it suspended 23 deliveries that were pending.
The two sides blamed each other. While Airbus acknowledged quality defects, it always maintained that the airplanes were completely safe. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which regulates the airline industry in the European Union, backed its position. In August 2022, the manufacturer cancelled all orders not yet finalised.
However, on 1 February 2023, they reached an «amicable and mutually agreeable agreement», in Airbus’ words. With the agreement, the companies avoided a potentially damaging court case that could have taken place from the middle of this year in London.
All outstanding deliveries were reinstated, so Qatar Airways should receive more than twenty new aircraft in the near future.
See also: Airbus cancels all remaining A350 orders from Qatar Airways
