Airbus advises inspection of 160 A330s and notes coating issue on 500 A321NEOs

Airbus recommends that airlines inspect 160 A330 aircraft delivered between January 2021 and July 2026 because of loose objects on the horizontal stabilizer, and notes that the issue mainly affects the service fleet while all current production aircraft have been reviewed and are considered ready for delivery.

The episode slowed A330NEO deliveries at the beginning of September and the company also recognized a coating defect on about 500 A321NEO aircraft, describing it as a quality issue rather than a safety issue; CEO Lars Wagner expressed confidence that Airbus will reach its annual target of 870 aircraft.