Qatar Airways grounds 13 Airbus A350s as fuselage degrading

Qatar Airways says it has grounded 13 Airbus A350s over degradation of the plane’s fuselage

Qatar Airbus (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Qatar Airways says it has grounded 13 Airbus A350s over degradation of the plane's fuselage.

Qatar Airways made the announcement on Thursday, further escalating a monthslong dispute with the European airplane maker.

It says the aircraft will be removed “from service until such time as the root cause can be established and a satisfactory solution made available to permanently correct the underlying condition.”

Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Qatar Airways, based in the energy-rich Arabian Peninsula nation of the same name, is a major East-West long-haul carrier. It is one of the biggest buyers of the twin-aisle aircraft.