Airbus terminated the contract it had with Qatar Airways for the delivery of an A350. This is the third aircraft ordered by Qatar to be canceled by the European manufacturer.
In the context of the dispute over alleged problems with the model – and after the airline refused delivery of two units – it was now the manufacturer who refused to send a unit of the model to the Qatari flag carrier.
Meanwhile, as reported by Reuters, the number of A350s grounded by the airline has already reached US$1 billion and affects 23 units. The dispute is now approaching its first year and seems to have no end in sight, despite attempts at de-escalation by a Qatari leader.
Airbus has hinted that, until the legal battle is resolved, it is prepared to cancel one by one the A350 contracts not delivered to the Gulf carrier. This is also in addition to the termination of the contract for fifty A321neo last month.
Qatar will ask on Thursday for an extension of the injunction imposed by the court. This will keep in effect the manufacturer’s ban on canceling the contract until the substantive dispute over the A350 is resolved.
