AIRBUS has announced that up to 628 of its A320 aircraft worldwide may require inspection following the discovery of a quality issue with newly identified metal panels, though the manufacturer stressed that not all planes are affected.
In a statement to AFP, the European plane-maker clarified that the figure represents the total number of potentially impacted aircraft, but investigations are ongoing to determine which require targeted action.
"The number of aircraft that need to be checked has decreased as inspections continue to identify planes needing specific attention," Airbus said.
The company had confirmed the existence of a supplier quality issue last Monday, emphasising that the problem was contained and only involved a small number of A320 metal panels.
Airbus shares fell after initial reports suggested the fuselage panel issue could delay deliveries of several A320 aircraft. The latest alert follows a separate incident last week, when Airbus grounded roughly 6,000 A320 planes until a software upgrade was installed in the United States.
The A320, first produced in 1988, is the world’s best-selling commercial aircraft, with Airbus recording 12,257 sales by the end of September, surpassing Boeing’s 12,254 737s sold. - December 3, 2025
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