LONDON PARIS, Nov 30 Reuters - The head of Qatar Airways called on Airbus to admit that it had a problem with the surface of its A350 jets and ruled out buying freighter planes from the European company, effectively handing a potential deal to rival Boeing.
Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker confirmed that the Gulf airline grounded 20 of the long-range A 350 jets in a months-long dispute over paint and other surface damage, which has prompted the airline to halt further deliveries of the model.
They have acknowledged that they are working to find a solution, which means they don't have a solution, according to Al Baker, who spokeswoman for the Aviation Club in London.
They don't have a solution because they don't know why it is happening. It is always better to admit when there is a problem and blame it on your customer for something that is actually your own problem. At least five other airlines have raised concerns over surface flaws since the A 350 entered service and that surface damage has extended beneath the paint to a layer of metallic lightning protection, according to a report on Monday.
Airbus, https: www.reuters. Com business Aerospace Defense costly-airbus paint-flaw- goes-wider than-gulf - 2021 -- 11 -- 29, which until recently maintained that the problem was confined to Qatar Airways, has said the plane is safe and that it understands the root cause of the problem.
Airbus had no immediate comment on Al Baker's remarks.
Airbus said in response to queries from Reuters for Monday's article that there had been some problems with early surface wear that in some cases had made visible a sub-layer of mesh designed to absorb lightning, which it is working to fix.
Al Baker was asked about a possible purchase of freighter aircraft, following his comments that Qatar was looking at an attractive proposition from Boeing Asked if this would close the door on buying the A350 freighter, he said yes Asked if the order could reach aroundX freighters, without giving more details.