Airbus has mentioned it would search an “independent legal assessment” as a strategy to resolve a dispute over the grounding of the Qatar Airways A350 fleet.

The Middle East provider took round 20 plane out of operation in August claiming paint on the fuselage was “degrading at an accelerated rate” and creating a security concern.

Last week Qatar Airways chief govt, Akbar Al Baker, known as on Airbus to handle the issue.

“It is a critical matter; we have no idea whether it is an airworthiness concern; we additionally have no idea that it isn’t an airworthiness concern.

“The real cause of it has not been established by Airbus,” he instructed the Aviation Club in London.

To date, Airbus and the flag-carrier have been unable to settle the problem throughout “direct and open discussions”.

In the face of the “ongoing mischaracterisation of non-structural surface degradation,” Airbus has now confirmed it would search authorized redress.

The producer mentioned the floor paint-related findings have been completely assessed by its personal workforce and confirmed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as having “no airworthiness impact” on the A350.

The try by Qatar Airways “to misrepresent this specific topic as an airworthiness issue” represents a menace to the worldwide protocols on security issues, a press release mentioned.

“While Airbus regrets the necessity to observe such a path, it has turn out to be essential to defend its place and popularity.

“Airbus has labored actively with its prospects as a way to minimise the influence and any inconvenience brought on by this in-service floor degradation on the plane.

“These solutions have all been dismissed by the above-mentioned customer without legitimate justification,” added a press release.

Airbus mentioned the A350 is performing effectively in service, with a 99.5 per cent operational reliability.

The firm mentioned it was working to re-establish a constructive dialogue with Qatar Airways on the matter – however will not be keen to just accept “inaccurate statements” to proceed.