en.Wedoany.com Reported - Airbus has reached a settlement in its legal dispute with Qatar Airways over paint cracking issues on the A350 passenger jet and has replaced the lightning protection copper foil material on its A350 series. The dispute became public when Qatar filed a lawsuit at the end of 2021, and a settlement was reached in early 2023, with Airbus not admitting any liability under the agreement. Airbus stated that the material replacement was part of ongoing aircraft development work and unrelated to Qatar's claims, but noted that the new material improves paint durability.
The core of the dispute lay in the copper foil layer between the A350's carbon fiber fuselage and its external paint. This design is intended to safely dissipate lightning strike energy, but Qatar initiated legal action against Airbus after cracks and debris appeared on its A350 aircraft, exposing the expanded copper foil (ECF) layer. Qatar grounded over 20 A350s, citing a design defect, while Airbus insisted it was merely a cosmetic issue. According to Reuters, the total value of the legal battle was reportedly as high as $2 billion.
In its initial lawsuit filed at the London High Court in December 2021, Qatar claimed $618 million in damages from Airbus, plus an additional $4 million per day for each aircraft remaining grounded. In one specific case, Qatar claimed $76 million for an A350 planned for a special livery for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, alleging the aircraft required 980 repair patches. Airbus fully denied these claims and canceled all remaining A350 orders from Qatar in September 2022.
The details of the settlement were not disclosed to the public, but it paved the way for a "repair program" to return the grounded aircraft to service. Qatar is currently one of the largest operators of the A350, with 62 aircraft in its fleet. The two parties ultimately reached a settlement in February 2023, which Qatar's CEO, Akbar Al Baker, called a "win-win."
Prior to the dispute, Airbus had filed a European patent for perforated copper foil (PCF) technology as a potential alternative to ECF for lightning protection. The newly adopted PCF material offers two main advantages over ECF: it is lighter and less susceptible to thermal stress, thereby reducing the risk of visible cracks. Airbus began using PCF on some new A350s from the end of 2022, initially applied to the rear of the aircraft and then integrated "section by section."
In addition to Qatar, airlines such as Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Delta Air Lines, and Air France have also contacted Airbus regarding similar paint peeling issues, but most stated that the problem did not pose a safety threat. The A350 is primarily made of carbon composite material and uses ECF to shield against lightning strikes. However, the different expansion coefficients between the composite material and the copper foil cause them to react to temperature changes at different rates, ultimately leading to cracks in the paint layer. Although Airbus insisted the issue did not affect safety, switching to PCF material both reduces weight and prevents micro-cracks from forming.
Although the legal dispute once escalated, the final settlement between Airbus and Qatar brought the matter to a close. Last year, Qatar also signed a widebody aircraft order with Boeing, including 160 firm orders and 50 options, covering the Boeing 787 and Boeing 777-9. The airline described this in its annual report as "the largest single order in the airline's history."
