Qatar Airways sent a four-year-old Airbus A350 to Ireland to be repainted in World Cup 2022 livery. Industry sources said problems had emerged when the old paint was stripped awayJust as Airbus was emerging from the aviation recession caused by the pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions, it has become embroiled in a row with Qatar Airways, one of its key customers, over the state of the paint jobs on its A350 long-haul aircraft. The Gulf state airline has grounded some of its aircraft and halted new deliveries in the disagreement with the Toulouse-based aircraft manufacturer. SponsoredThe row is a blow for Airbus’s supply chain in the UK where it employs 6,000 people manufacturing wings for the aircraft and where Rolls-Royce Derby is the aircraft’s sole supplier of Trent XWB engines. Qatar is the second largest operator of the A350 in the world, behind Singapore Airlines, accounting for 53 or 12 per cent of the

Source: The Times June 08, 2021 16:03 UTC