Airbus Probes A320 Fuselage Panel Defect Amid Delivery Push - Reuters
Airbus is undertaking an investigation into a newly identified industrial quality issue affecting fuselage panels on several dozen A320-family aircraft, according to multiple industry sources briefed on the matter. The suspected production flaw has begun to delay certain near-term deliveries, though preliminary indications suggest no aircraft currently operating with airlines have been impacted by the defect.
The exact origin and full scope of the manufacturing issue remain under review by Airbus engineers and quality assurance teams. One source familiar with the matter indicated the problem concerns manufacturing tolerances detected during standard production checks, leading the company to initiate additional inspections across a batch of A320neo-family airframes. Airbus has declined to comment publicly on the investigation at this time.
This development arrives at a particularly sensitive juncture for the European planemaker, following another recent technical setback for the A320 program. On November 28, 2025, Airbus and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) jointly ordered all airlines to apply precautionary software updates to the A320’s elevator aileron computers after identifying a vulnerability requiring immediate corrective action. The global fleet largely returned to service within days of the directive, with the recall effort now nearing completion.
The timing of this fuselage panel discovery compounds operational pressures as Airbus aggressively pursues an ambitious annual delivery target. The company delivered 72 aircraft in November 2025, bringing its year-to-date total to 657 deliveries. To achieve its stated full-year goal of approximately 820 aircraft, Airbus would need to deliver more than 160 planes in December—a performance that would exceed the current monthly record of 138 aircraft, established in December 2019.
Industry analysts note that production disruptions at this critical juncture could complicate Airbus’s ability to meet its delivery commitments. The A320 family remains the world’s most widely produced commercial aircraft, with high customer demand supporting the aggressive delivery schedule. However, quality assurance cannot be compromised in pursuit of volume targets, creating a challenging balancing act for manufacturing operations.
The fuselage panel issue underscores the ongoing quality control challenges facing major aircraft manufacturers as they scale production to meet sustained airline demand. Manufacturing tolerances on structural components require precise calibration to ensure aircraft durability and safety throughout their operational lifespan.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764590446417-1033