Airbus investigates A321neo flaw as deliveries slip into congested fourth quarter

Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo are investigating a coatings-related quality alert affecting 500 A321neo jets, a problem that has tightened the company’s margin to hit its 2026 delivery goal of about 870 aircraft. Two sources said up to 20 planes may have slipped into an already congested fourth quarter as September deliveries slowed after a report in The Air Current. Airbus confirmed the issue earlier in the week but said its targets remain intact and that the alert does not affect safety. The flaw was found in August when technicians scraped paint and discovered gaps in the primer on strengthening stringers in the forward fuselage. Teams are working at TESI, a private coatings subcontractor to Leonardo south of Naples, though Airbus and Leonardo have not confirmed TESI’s role. Airlines receiving affected jets get two years to repair, not four, according to the report.