Airbus facing quality issue in A320 jets, deliveries delayed
What's the story
Airbus has flagged a quality control problem with the fuselage panels of several dozen A320-family aircraft. The suspected production defect is causing delays in some aircraft deliveries. However, there are no immediate signs that the issue has affected planes already in service. The exact cause of this problem is still unknown and it comes at a time when Airbus is trying hard to meet its ambitious delivery targets for the year.
Delivery goals
Delivery performance and future targets
Despite the quality control issue, Airbus has managed to deliver 72 aircraft in November alone. This brings the total number of deliveries for the year so far to 657. The company is aiming for around 820 deliveries by year-end, which would require a record-breaking performance of over 160 jets in December. The previous record for December was set in 2019 with 138 deliveries.
Move
Switching to older software in India
Back in India, IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express have switched over 320 Airbus A320 planes back to an older software version. This comes following warnings about the possible loss of control during solar storms. To recall, there was an incident in the US where an A320 nosedived suddenly, injuring 15 people.