Last month, Qatar took Airbus to court complaining that the paint on its newly delivered A350s was cracking and peeling, exposing the copper mesh that insulates the aircraft against lightning strikes.

It is seeking more than $600 million in compensation from Airbus, Reuters reports, for the alleged problems affecting 21 of its 53 A350 aircraft, citing them as a safety risk. The airline on Friday (21 January) posted a video showing the fatigued paintwork on one of its A350s.

In an accompanying statement following a hearing at the High Court in London on Thursday (20 January), Qatar said all affected aircraft would remain grounded, and added it would not accept delivery of any additional aircraft from Airbus.

Airbus has responded by cancelling a contract with Qatar, agreed in December 2017, for 50 new Airbus A321neo aircraft. Qatar described the move as a "matter of considerable regret and frustration", adding Airbus’s actions would "expand and escalate" the dispute.

During Thursday’s hearing, Airbus – Reuters reports – said there was no basis for the grounding, and said Qatar was seeking to justify the grounding for its own financial benefit amid the ongoing pressures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a claim Qatar has rejected.

"These defects are not superficial," said the Gulf carrier. "One of the defects causes the aircraft’s lightning protection system to be exposed and damaged, another defect leaves the underlying composite structure exposed to moisture and ultraviolet light, and other defects include cracking in the composite and damage around a high percentage of rivets on the aircraft fuselage."

A fresh hearing will take place in April.