Airbus Orders Inspections After Metal Panel Quality Issue Found on A320 Aircraft

Airbus has announced that a number of its aircraft will undergo detailed inspections after the company identified a supplier-related quality issue involving metal panels installed on some planes. The concern affects a limited portion of the A320 family, one of the world’s most widely used aircraft lines. The decision comes shortly after thousands of A320 models around the world were grounded for an urgent software update, adding another layer of scrutiny to the popular fleet.

The company said the move is precautionary, describing the approach as conservative to ensure every potentially affected plane is checked thoroughly. According to Airbus, as many as 600 aircraft may require inspection, although only a small fraction are expected to contain the faulty components. The firm confirmed that newly manufactured panels now meet all technical requirements and the issue has been fully contained at the supplier level.

What the Quality Issue Involves

Airbus explained that the problem lies at the front of the aircraft, where several metal panels were found either too thick or too thin during internal assessments. While the inconsistency does not affect flight safety, the company said inspections are necessary to determine which planes need repairs and what specific actions should be taken. The manufacturer stressed that the aircraft remains safe to operate while checks are being scheduled.

Reuters reported that 168 planes already in service fall under the inspection requirement. The exact timeline for potential repairs has not been disclosed, but Airbus has indicated that airlines will be supported through the process to minimise operational disruptions.

Airlines Respond as Checks Begin

As the inspection plan rolled out, several major airlines acknowledged the situation. Korean Air said it was awaiting further technical guidance from Airbus before determining whether any of its jets were affected. Delta Airlines stated that it had already completed the necessary checks for its fleet and confirmed there had been no impact on daily operations. The airline added that fewer than 50 of its A321neo aircraft were involved in the review.

Lufthansa Group, which operates multiple carriers including SWISS, Eurowings and ITA Airways, said it had been notified that 11 recently delivered aircraft required inspection. The company emphasised that safety was never compromised and that flights would continue as scheduled.

A Difficult Week for Airbus

The panel issue follows a much larger challenge for Airbus earlier in the week when more than 6,000 of its aircraft required an emergency software update. The update was triggered after intense solar radiation caused temporary interference in an onboard flight control computer during a flight between the United States and Mexico. The incident led to a sudden loss of altitude and injuries to 15 passengers.

The software vulnerability prompted one of the biggest global safety interventions seen in the commercial aviation industry. Airlines worldwide were forced to ground aircraft for urgent updates, delaying flights and causing heavy disruptions during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Many affected flights were in the United States, coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday travel surge.

Market Reaction

The pressure from back to back technical issues weighed on Airbus shares, which have dropped more than 6.5 percent over the past five days. Investors remain watchful as the company works through both the software and panel inspection challenges. Despite the turbulence, Airbus maintains that passenger safety continues to be fully protected and that both issues have been contained through proper engineering and quality oversight.