Paris (France) (AFP) - A forgotten device on a plane delivered by Airbus caused disruptions in deliveries of A330 models for months before they resumed, according to the European aircraft manufacturer.

Published on: 09/03/2026 - 16:55

An Airbus spokesman said in a statement, “We recently detected an isolated qualitative problem at the horizontal level in the tail system of an A330 aircraft.”

"This prompted us to preview the A330 models during production, which caused a slowdown in the pace of monthly deliveries in the summer," he added.

A source who requested anonymity told Agence France-Presse that this “quality problem” resulted from a tool found on the plane after its delivery, which did not affect safety standards.

Due to the incident, Airbus was forced to inspect the aircraft that were about to be delivered and review the procedures adopted to avoid a recurrence of the problem. The production factory for the aircraft in question was not identified.

The source pointed out that it is a "simple qualitative problem and not a major problem. The effects on the pace are limited and deliveries have resumed."

Airbus figures dated July 31 showed that no A330 aircraft had been delivered after late May. This model represented less than 5 percent of the aircraft delivered in 2025. More than three-quarters of deliveries were concentrated on the A320 models.

In July, the European Community delivered 67 aircraft, as was the case in the same period last year. During the first seven months of the year, Airbus delivered 418 aircraft.

The goal is to reach a total of 870 aircraft this year, surpassing the record set in 2019 with 863 aircraft.

In order to achieve this goal, the pace must be doubled.

Airbus assembles its aircraft parts into ten series around the world, in France, Germany, China and the United States.

© 2026 AFP

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