എയർബസ് A330 വിമാനങ്ങളുടെ വാല് ഭാഗത്ത് നിർമ്മാണത്തിനിടെ പണിയായുധങ്ങൾ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ടതായി കണ്ടെത്തിയതിനെത്തുടർന്ന് പരിശോധനയ്ക്ക് നിർദ്ദേശം നൽകി. 2021 മുതൽ 2026 ജൂലൈ വരെ നിർമ്മിച്ച വിമാനങ്ങളെയാണ് ഇത് ബാധിക്കുന്നത്. നിലവിൽ സുരക്ഷാ ഭീഷണിയില്ലെന്ന് യൂറോപ്യൻ ഏവിയേഷൻ സേഫ്റ്റി ഏജൻസി അറിയിച്ചു.
Airbus SE has asked certain airlines to carry out additional checks on their A330neo aircraft during scheduled maintenance after a previously reported manufacturing quality issue.
The concern involves foreign object debris, including tools that may have been inadvertently left inside the horizontal tail plane area of the aircraft, according to Bloomberg citing people familiar with the matter.
The issue may affect a number of A330 aircraft manufactured from 2021 through July 2026, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter has not been made public. The extended production period involved indicates that identifying the affected aircraft could be more complicated and require broader inspections.
An Airbus spokesperson confirmed that the company has asked airlines to examine aircraft already in service. The manufacturer said customers carrying out planned maintenance on their A330s were being asked to conduct the additional checks as a precaution, ahead of any potential inspection requirements that could later be imposed on individual aircraft.
Airbus is estimated to have handed over aircraft in the low-70s range to commercial customers in September, according to the report citing people familiar with the matter.
The planemaker did not comment on its September delivery figures ahead of the scheduled release of its official data.
Airbus said it was coordinating with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which had determined that the issue did not pose an immediate safety concern. The company expects the regulator to finalise the deadline for completing the inspections, along with the definitive list of affected aircraft, by mid-November at the latest.
An EASA spokesperson did not immediately respond to Bloomberg's request for comment.
"After having spotted an isolated finding in an aircraft in production, we are committed to discounting similar findings in aircraft currently in service. We do not compromise on quality and safety," the company said.
Airbus manufactures around four A330neos each month and plans to raise production to five aircraft per month by 2029. The aircraft has gained renewed interest from airlines replacing ageing A330ceo fleets or seeking a more cost-effective option than the A350 and Boeing 787.