A British judge has put an end to the heated legal dispute between Qatar Airways and Airbus by granting the latter the green light to cancel an order for in-demand A321neo jetliners from Qatar Airways.
The ruling means that Airbus can remarket the jets to new customers, while the two sides pursue a separate dispute over the safety of larger A350 jets.
"In reality, Qatar is able to well source alternative aircraft to make up for the shortfall in A321s" meant to be put into service during the fourth quarter of 2023, Justice David Waksman said in handing down the ruling.
Earlier in January, Airbus canceled the A321neo deal in retaliation for Qatar’s refusal to stop taking A350s in a separate legal and safety dispute over damage to the surface of the larger jets.
The European plane maker has previously accused the Gulf airline, the A350’s biggest customer, of spreading invalid safety concerns to avoid taking jets at a time of weak demand, and to activate a $1 billion compensation claim.
