Uh Oh: Qatar Airways Grounds 13 Airbus A350s

Are these a350-900s or -1000?

Isn’t SQ the one with the largest A350 fleet? It reportedly overtook QR back in April.

Yes, that's in the article.

@ VT-CIE -- Good catch, thanks! Updated post to reflect that.

@ Ben -- I could be mistaken, but I believe this mostly impacts A350-900s, since they're partly significantly older.

So Ben, how might this affect utilization of the 787's in the Qatar fleet?

So QR is trying to delay delivers while also trying to get compensation from Airbus on some claims that local regulators agree with. Interestingly, and correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't QR and their regulators have the same owner, the Emir?

While we can all agree the FAA won't be regulating any of this soon, even if it's really serious. Or maybe Boeing's influence is so strong, they will do a witch hunt against Airbus. No credits left for FAA anymore, no win for them.

I would still be expecting truths to this if CAAC or EASA says something about it.

This is certainly interesting. Why, indeed, are they the only ones to report this problem?

Nothing from Singapore, Delta, or Cathay?

My DOH-JHB and CPT-DOH in November 2021 has already switched to the 777-300ER from the A350-900.

Oh no. I'm flying out in November. Hopefully, they get this straighten out soon. I haven't flown on this airline nor their QSuites and was looking forward to it. I'll be doing a lot of praying it works out come November.

Thanks, Ben! I hope it's not the 1000s since I'll be flying that in November. *bite-nails"

And guess which carrier has epic call queues today. It's the one I'm calling about an imminent departure, natch!

The A350 fuselage is made out of carbon fiber polymers, so perhaps this degradation is due to ultraviolet radiation from the sun reacting with the polymers. UV radiation would naturally be more intense in Qatar and other desert environments as compared to Europe, North America or Asia. If this turns out to be the case, they're just going to have to give those Qatar A350s a stronger sunblock!

Could it be the sand in atmosphere due to many more flights from mideast. Sand from USA west reaches the east in small amounts so could be from worst adjacent countries etc.

How does one see the surface below the paint?

Just checked; Our JFK/DOH and DOH/JNB flights on Sept 6 & 7, 2021 have been changed to 777 300ER, but still Q-Suites

Ultrasound eddy currents or some type of x-ray. Not too hard to do

You think we in the polymers and coatings business don't know that, and would use a technology that's 20 years old? We make coatings based on UV-responsive polymers that impart UV-resistant coating even with UV-C!

...fuselage surface below the paint degrading at an accelerated rate...

That's a pretty nebulous statement. Is this a slippery way to say 'corrosion'?

Chemicals like bleech in water , when washing, are the enemy of titanium.

Why are no other airlines complaining of the same issue?

It's all about the suites!

Sounds like Qatar finding a way to avoid future deliveries

It's mostly possible due to climatic conditions , extremely hot weather ,and when an aircraft is parked with no shade ,it structure heats up like an oven ,if humans can get affected by heat ,so does machines , regular washes may help reduce this effect, off course park in shade , till date no aircraft shade or full structure cover has been invented or used . pandemic made aircrafts grounding to Max limit...

Is there any third party verification of this issue? If not. assume a negotiating stance. If so, area of concern. Still, why only this airline? I recall an incident of Hawaiian Air corrosion of fuselage some years ago, but that was in a salt air environment. I assume not the case here.

Maybe Qatar’s intensely hot climate is to blame and not Airbus?

Due to hot weather in that area and a lot of the newer cars some parts of melted it can be the cause since same planes ✈️ didn’t happen other parts of the world.

Someone is using Walmart paint!

I think they first found the issue when stripping paint for a new paint theme. There is a newer LAZER based method some are using now. Hmmm...

Considering their fleet of 787, A330, A380 it would not be en environmental problem or all their planes would be similarly affected. Granted the only other carbon fibre plane is the 787.

UV at altitude is much stronger that at surface. UV is partially blocked in the Gulf because of the 'sand' in the air. Very difficult to get a sunburn in the desert compared to clean air northern climes.

We're booked Qatar DFW-DOH in December, but could switch to PHL to DOH. Any recommendations?