Airbus warns airlines of quality defect on more than 500 A321neo jets
The flaw may weaken corrosion resistance inside the fuselage structure, The Air Current reports.
Published
Airbus has told A321neo customers about a quality defect that could reduce corrosion resistance inside the aircraft's fuselage structure, The Air Current reported. The outlet said the issue could potentially affect more than 500 aircraft.
About 250 of those jets are at various stages of completion across Airbus's supply chain in Europe, the United States and China, The Air Current reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The rest are already in service with airlines. The same people said the defect does not represent a safety issue for operators or the flying public.
The report was the first to disclose the defect.
The finding adds to a recent run of quality problems at Airbus, coming after issues were found in A330neo tail sections. With more than 500 aircraft potentially affected and corrosion resistance in question, Airbus faces rectification costs and a hit to its reputation at a time when it is otherwise posting strong order flow. That combination is bearish for near-term margins and customer confidence, even with delivery momentum holding up.