Asger Risom
Airbus has discovered a manufacturing quality problem in some of the aircraft’s metal fuselage panels — the second major disruption for the same model in less than a week.
Airbus is preparing to inspect hundreds of A320-family jets after discovering a manufacturing quality problem in some of the aircraft’s metal fuselage panels — the second major disruption for the same model in less than a week.
What Airbus found
The company says a “limited number” of A320-series aircraft may have front-section panels that were produced slightly too thick or too thin. Airbus stresses the flaw does not affect flight safety, but each potentially affected jet must be checked to confirm whether repairs are needed.
The issue affects up to 600 aircraft, including 168 already in service, according to early estimates. The defect has been traced to a resolved production problem, and Airbus says all newly built panels now meet specifications.
Airlines begin inspections
Airlines operating the A320 family have begun evaluating their fleets, though many say the operational impact should be minimal.
- Delta reported that its teams already completed the required checks across a small portion of its A321neo fleet, with no impact on flights.
- Lufthansa Group, including SWISS, ITA Airways, and Eurowings, said it is inspecting 11 recently delivered jets and emphasized that “safety is guaranteed at all times.”
- Korean Air is awaiting further technical details from Airbus before determining whether any of its aircraft are included.
It remains unclear how long repairs may take for aircraft that require them.
A second hit to the A320 fleet in one week
The inspections come just days after one of the largest software interventions in commercial aviation history.
More than 6,000 Airbus aircraft required an urgent flight-control update after engineers found that elevated solar radiation could interfere with onboard computers. The vulnerability came to light after a U.S.–Mexico flight experienced a sudden altitude drop that injured 15 passengers.
The emergency patch triggered widespread delays, groundings, and cancellations across the final weekend of November — one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Market reaction
Airbus shares have fallen more than 6.5% over the past five days as the company manages back-to-back fleet issues. While neither problem poses a flight-safety risk after mitigation, the scale of the disruptions and inspections is creating new pressure on the European manufacturer during peak travel season.
