Saga FULLY Over: Last Qatar Airways Airbus A350 Returns To Service

On February 7th, a Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900 conducted flight QR3255 from Shannon to Doha. While the flight was obviously visible by many flight tracking websites, its significance 'flew under the radar.' Indeed, the return of this airframe to Doha (and its subsequent return to service) could be said to mark the very end of the long and dramatic surface degradation dispute between the airline and Airbus.
Article: simpleflying.com/final-qatar-...
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[@JeffreyBue_imtxsmoke]

I've been wondering who was going to "give in" during this dispute. Looks like another victory for Airbus.

[@jantjarks7946]

No victory for anyone.

[@michealktrevor]

@@jantjarks7946 Al-Baker lost though. Must've been the reason he was booted out of the CEO position

[@heidirabenau511]

​@@jantjarks7946The lawyers definitely won!

[@jantjarks7946]

@@michealktrevor Well, he was the one who lost out the worst. Indeed.

[@mandandi]

Al-Baker lost, but Airbus and Qatar Airways won. Airbus makes and sells airplanes while QA buys and flies them. Business is back to normal.

[@nurrizadjatmiko21]

Really glad Qatar and Airbus are back together again. With that saga is over, it is likely Qatar Airways would eventually retired all of their 12 Airbus A330ceos by the end of this year.

[@m3redgt]

hopefully
flew on one in 2019 and their cabin feels like early 2000...

[@philipmason9537]

But how was this surface degradation issue fixed, completely new surface coating or paints ?

[@Pedro_the_great]

They changed the type of copper foil that they cover the carbon fibre with before painting

[@philipmason9537]

@@Pedro_the_great 👍👍

[@EuropeanRailfanAlt]

Thank you Al Meer!

[@vedymin1]

Ok..but is the issue with the paint still present tho ? Will the thermal cycling difference between it and the composites underneath still cause tensions and cracking later ? Or was it issues with the metal net under the paint ?

[@balisaani]

No, no, and yes.

[@mikestravelshow]

I'm flying with qatar in may.

[@Rasscasse]

I’m glad it’s all sorted out.
Better for Qatar better for Airbus .
Interesting to find out that they were all sorted out in Shannon Ireland

[@AlfCalson]

✈️

[@wickedcabinboy]

So, what caused the problem in the first place?

[@ahnafahmed9545]

Something like paint not staying on fuselage since previous generation aircraft had fuselage made from metal which can hold paint better but newer generation models are made from composite which can't hold paint that well.

[@MBrieger]

Who is coughing up the Money?

[@aydoyt]

Airbus

[@gordanbabic8028]

what about their A321 order?

[@Yves_Ka]

reactivated

[@heidirabenau511]

Deliveries start in 2026

[@_msraviation]

are they finally gonna retire the old a330ceos and 737 maxes now

[@OSA-OMP]

737 M*X can't replace A330veo

[@_msraviation]

@@OSA-OMP i was asking whether theyre gonna retire both since they only introduced them to the fleet (or in the case of the a330 reintroduced) because of their fleet crisis which should be solved now that the a359s are restored

[@justinsimmonds5674]

I’m glad that Airbus & Qatar Airways are back on the same page and that the last A350 with degradation has been repaired and put back into service.

[@georgeandreou695]

I hope this doesn't mean they'll retire their A380s

[@rajaampattravel]

qatar

[@stevesmoneypit6137]

Good now they can start over repainting the other crumbling planes

[@TGIStuffyt]

gg mama

[@lawrencepll76]

Will Qatar order more A350 after this, I wonder 🤔

[@sambhavkhandelwal6470]

first

[@MrJimheeren]

I would rather have some chipping paint then doors that fly off mid air so good for you Airbus if this was your biggest problem

[@harryhall197]

Pity they bought the 737 MAX. Big mistake.