The Airbus A350 paint problem appears to be more widespread than was initially thought.
While Qatar Airways has been vocal on the issues it has experienced,
it now seems that at least another five airlines have experienced
early surface degradation of the paint on their Airbus widebodies.
The issue with the A350 and its paint flaws has seen Qatar Airways grounding 20 of its
fleet of 53, and even bringing back the A380 to provide relief capacity. The problem has been
ongoing for many months, but until now, it seemed to be isolated to just Qatar’s A350s.
At the end of November, new reporting by Reuters suggested that the issues with the
A350 go further than previously thought. While some had speculated that the degradation of the
paint surface had been a consequence of the severe desert heat in Doha, investigations
by Reuters revealed that it has been much more widespread and likely unrelated to heat.
Perusing a private maintenance message board used by Airbus and A350 operators, Reuters discovered
at least five other airlines complained about deterioration of the painted surface on the A350.
The publication names Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Lufthansa and Air France (on behalf of Air
Caraibes) as all raising concerns about the issue. According to the investigation, Finnair, Cathay
and Lufthansa have all cited some quote-unquote ‘cosmetic damage’ on their A350s. In messages
on the board, Finnair – who was Europe’s first A350 operator – reported paint damage just a year
after taking its first A350. Cathay Pacific reported similar problems just weeks later,
and in one post said the issue had been found on an A350 just two weeks after taking delivery.
Lufthansa sent messages in 2017 saying that areas of peeling paint had been discovered on its A350s,
some as big as a square meter. The German flag carrier had begun repainting its fleet
of A350s in February this year, ostensibly to apply the new livery to the aircraft.
However, it was notable that Airbus was carrying out the work rather than Lufthansa’s own teams,
and it was alleged that the repaint was being done free of charge under warranty.
The precise issue with the paintwork on the A350s has been closely guarded,
but more details are beginning to emerge.
Airbus describes the problem as quote-unquote ‘early surface wear’, which in some cases has
led to the lightning mesh under the surface becoming exposed. It’s not an unsafe condition,
with the affected airlines agreeing that it is a cosmetic problem rather than a safety concern.
However, a source told Reuters that for Qatar Airways and at least one other airline,
the wear had become so great that the mesh itself had begun to develop gaps. This would
leave the carbon composite fuselage exposed to the elements, and could lead to eventual damage.
At the root of these problems is the new material used in the construction of the A350.
Rather than an aluminum body, the A350 follows the Dreamliner in having a composite fuselage.
With a non-metal body, the aircraft needed a mesh installed for lightning conduction. This makes it
more difficult to get a good stick on the paint. Adding to the complexity is the fact that, like
metal, paint expands and contracts with changes in temperature, while carbon fiber does not.
While airlines and Airbus both maintain this is not a safety issue, it’s not a good look for
a brand new plane. Qatar Airways is not so sure, and has grounded large numbers of aircraft on what
it says is a demand from its local regulator. The carrier is pressing for compensation from Airbus,
and has paused deliveries of any new A350s until the issue is resolved.
What do you think of this ongoing issue? Let us know by leaving a comment.