Airbus has confirmed that an unspecified number of its A320 aircraft will undergo inspections following a “supplier quality issue” with metal panels used on some planes.
The manufacturer described the problem as affecting a “limited number” of aircraft, just days after thousands of A320s were grounded for an urgent software update.
On Tuesday, Airbus said it was taking a “conservative approach” by inspecting all potentially affected planes, although not all are expected to require repairs.
Reuters and AFP reported that around 600 A320s, a model widely used by major airlines, could be impacted, although Airbus did not confirm the exact number.
A spokesperson for Airbus told the BBC that the source of the issue has been identified, contained, and that all newly produced panels meet required standards.
The spokesperson added that inspections are necessary to determine which aircraft may have panels with quality issues and what corrective action is needed.
Reports indicate that 168 planes already in service may require inspections, but the panel issue is not considered an immediate safety concern, unlike the recent emergency software recall.
The timeline for any repairs has not yet been announced.
Major airlines operating A320s, including British Airways, American Airlines, and Lufthansa, have been contacted for comment. Korean Air said it is awaiting further information from Airbus, while Delta confirmed that required work on its fleet is complete and operations have not been affected.
Delta noted that the inspections apply to a small portion of its A320 family fleet, specifically fewer than 50 A321neo aircraft.
Earlier this week, Airbus grounded thousands of planes for a software update after discovering that intense solar radiation could interfere with onboard flight control systems.
The software issue came to light after a flight between the U.S. and Mexico suddenly lost altitude, injuring 15 passengers. Over 6,000 aircraft were affected in what became one of the largest aviation recalls ever, causing widespread flight disruptions during the busy Thanksgiving weekend in the U.S.
Airbus shares have declined by more than 6.5% over the past five days.
