Airbus-Qatar Airways close to resolution of heated A350 matter
Technology
Tone seemed more hopeful after political activity and successful four-way meeting in Doha, report
(Reuters) - Airbus and Qatar Airways are getting closer to reaching a resolution to their heated disagreement over the A350 aircraft that are now grounded, Reuters has reported quoting two sources with knowledge of the situation.
There is little assurance that a deal can be achieved after months of public fighting after prior attempts to prevent a prominent trial in London this year were abandoned.
However, two of the individuals claimed that following a flurry of political activity and a successful four-way meeting between the two firms and their respective regulators in Doha last week the tone seemed more hopeful and discussions had quickened.
The safety implications of peeling paint that exposed corrosion and holes in a sub-layer of lightning protection have been the subject of months of litigation between the two firms in a UK court.
Leaders of France and Qatar, two nations with close diplomatic and economic relations, have become aware of the conflict between their two flagship corporations.
During a four-day trip to the Gulf, which included a stop on Sunday in Doha when he spoke with the Emir and other officials, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also brought up the subject, Reuters has claimed according to a source in the ministry.
Qatar Airways has stopped accepting delivery of the A350 and is suing Airbus for a fee that has increased far beyond $1 billion due to damage claimed to the A350 anti-lightning system.
Over the past year, Qatar s regulator has grounded at least 29 of the aircraft due to unresolved safety concerns.
Qatar Airways had said that Airbus conspired with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to certify the aircraft as safe. In response to a question on the assertion, Patrick Ky, the agency s executive director, told Reuters in an interview that of course it was not.
In the meanwhile, Qatar Airways has been accused by Airbus of having a covert role in the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority s decisions to ground aircraft. This accusation has been refuted by the carrier.
