Airbus Axes Qatar Airways A350 Order

DALLAS - Airbus has canceled Qatar Airways' whole outstanding Airbus A350 order. Although neither business has made an official statement, Reuters cites two industry sources.

The order cancellation is related to the significant legal disagreement between the two businesses over the state of the Airbus A350s. While Airbus maintains that the damage is only cosmetic, QR asserts that the aircraft's fuselage is deteriorating at an accelerated rate.

As the Qatari aviation regulator has grounded these A350s, QR has declined to accept any additional deliveries of the type until the problem is resolved. Airbus, meanwhile, refuses to really acknowledge the problems and asserts that QR's refusal to accept delivery of these aircraft gives it the right to terminate the contract.

A total of 74 Airbus A350s, comprising 34 A350-900s and 40 A350-1000s, were planned for QR's fleet. There are still 21 A350-1000 orders pending, and it appears that the airline won't receive those. Many airlines are interested, therefore it seems like Airbus intends to try and sell these jets again, including to Indian carriers.

Earlier this year, Airbus canceled a 50-aircraft order from QR for the A321neo family. The Qatari flag carrier attempted to prevent Airbus from reselling these planes, but a UK judge determined that Airbus was within its rights to do so.

With the FIA2022 order for Boeing 737 MAX, it looks like QR is fully committed to the American planemaker.

This is a developing story.

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Featured image: Qatar Airways A7-AME Airbus A350-941. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways