European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has confirmed a new quality problem affecting its best-selling A320 passenger jet, marking the second technical issue for the model in less than a week. The company stated it identified a 'supplier quality issue' on a limited number of metal panels used in the aircraft's fuselage.
Details of the A320 Panel Problem
On Monday, December 1, 2025, a spokeswoman for Airbus told AFP that the source of the manufacturing defect had been found and contained. The company is taking a conservative approach by inspecting all aircraft that could potentially be impacted. However, Airbus clarified that only a portion of those inspected will require any corrective action.
'All newly produced panels conform to all requirements,' the spokeswoman assured. The announcement followed earlier media reports which suggested that quality problems with these fuselage panels had delayed the delivery of some A320 aircraft to customers.
Market Reaction and Financial Impact
The news triggered immediate turbulence for Airbus on the financial markets. Shares in the aerospace giant plummeted by more than 10 percent during trading in Paris. At around 1200 GMT, the stock was down 10.24 percent, significantly underperforming the broader Paris market, which registered only a minor drop. The shares later managed to recover some of those steep losses by the end of the trading session.
Analysts noted that Airbus has not yet revised its full-year aircraft delivery guidance. This suggests that the company is either still evaluating the full impact of this latest issue or believes the disruption from the panel problem has been successfully limited.
Second Setback in a Challenging Week
This panel defect comes hot on the heels of another major directive concerning the A320 family. Just last week, Airbus advised that approximately 6,000 A320 planes globally should receive a software upgrade before further flight. This recommendation followed an incident in the United States involving a JetBlue-operated A320.
On October 30, that aircraft experienced an in-flight control issue, apparently caused by solar radiation affecting a computer system. The malfunction led to a sudden nosedive during a flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, USA, forcing pilots to make an unscheduled landing in Tampa, Florida.
While the software announcement initially raised fears of massive, long-term groundings, Airbus provided an update on Monday. The company stated that fewer than 100 aircraft remain temporarily immobilized worldwide as the updates are being rolled out.
The A320's Market Dominance
The A320 remains the world's best-selling passenger aircraft, a title it has fiercely defended against its rival, the Boeing 737. Since its launch in 1988, Airbus had sold 12,257 A320s by the end of September 2025, narrowly edging out the 12,254 sales of the Boeing 737. These back-to-back issues, while described as contained, present a significant public relations and operational challenge for Airbus as it strives to maintain delivery momentum and customer confidence in its most important product line.
