Airbus to inspect some planes over ‘quality issue’ with panels
Airbus has confirmed that an unspecified number of aircraft will be subject to inspection after a “supplier quality issue” was detected in metal panels used on some A320 aircraft.
The issue, which the firm said affected a “limited number” of aircraft, emerged days after thousands of the same model were taken out of service for an emergency software update.
The European manufacturer on Tuesday said it was taking a “conservative approach” by checking all aircraft that might be affected, although not all of them were expected to need repairs.
The company told the AFP news agency that around 600 A320s, a model widely used by major airlines, could be affected. Airbus did not confirm the number in its response to the BBC.
“The source of the problem has been identified and brought under control and all newly manufactured panels comply with all requirements,” an Airbus spokesman told the BBC.
“Only inspections will determine where an aircraft’s panels with quality issues may be located and the appropriate action that should be taken,” the statement continued.
AFP reported that Airbus said the number of aircraft needing to be inspected was “decreasing day by day as inspections progressed to identify those requiring specific action”.
The BBC contacted major airlines that operate the A320, including British Airways, American Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa Airlines and Delta, for comment.
Earlier this week, thousands of Airbus planes were grounded for a software update after it was discovered that intense solar radiation could interfere with flight control computers.
This problem arose when a plane traveling between the USA and Mexico suddenly lost altitude due to a security breach, injuring 15 people.
In one of the aviation industry’s largest recalls ever, more than 6,000 Airbus planes needed emergency computer updates.
This led to global disruptions and flight cancellations during the last weekend of November, a busy time of year for travel, especially in the US, which coincides with Thanksgiving.
Airbus shares have fallen more than 6.5 percent in the past five days.
