Late last year, the dispute over the A350s found its way to London’s High Court, where Qatar argued other airlines including Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, Vietnam Airlines and Cathay Pacific had all experienced similar issues.
Qatar’s legal team claimed Airbus had reached settlements with these and other airlines, and adopted design changes in the production process to prevent accelerated surface degradation.
The case appeared set for a lengthy hearing, but on Thursday, Airbus and Qatar Airways announced a settlement had been reached.
“A repair project is now underway and both parties look forward to getting these aircraft safely back in the air,” said the joint statement.
“The details of the settlement are confidential, and the parties will now proceed to discontinue their legal claims.”
The settlement agreement was “not an admission of liability for either party”, the statement said, adding that Qatar Airways and Airbus would now move forward and work together as partners.
It’s understood the order for A321neos had been revived, but the first deliveries would not occur until 2026, three years later than planned.
