Airbus has announced that a number of its aircraft will undergo inspections due to a “supplier quality issue” concerning metal panels utilized in certain A320 planes. The manufacturer indicated that this issue affects a “limited number” of aircraft and comes shortly after thousands of A320s were grounded for an urgent software update.
On Tuesday, Airbus stated it is adopting a “conservative approach” by inspecting all potentially affected aircraft, though it anticipates that not all will require repairs. The company reported to AFP that approximately 600 A320s could be involved, although this figure was not confirmed in its communications with the BBC.
A spokesperson for Airbus mentioned that the source of the problem has been identified and resolved, asserting that all newly produced panels meet the required standards. The company further noted that inspections will determine whether any aircraft have panels with quality issues and what corrective actions are necessary. According to AFP, the number of planes requiring checks is decreasing daily as inspections continue.
Airbus is currently in contact with major airlines operating the A320, including British Airways, American Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa, and Delta, to provide updated information regarding this situation.
This announcement follows a separate incident where thousands of Airbus planes were grounded due to a software issue that was linked to intense solar radiation affecting flight control systems. This vulnerability was revealed following an incident where an aircraft between the US and Mexico lost altitude, injuring 15 passengers. More than 6,000 Airbus aircraft were subject to emergency updates, causing considerable disruption during a peak travel period. Additionally, Airbus shares have seen a decline of over 6.5% in the past week.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3v19q3r31ro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss