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Over 500 Airbus A321neo jets are reportedly affected by a flaw in the anti-corrosion coating inside the fuselage. The problem involves what Airbus calls a “surface protection deviation” on stringers in the lower forward fuselage.
Sources familiar with the matter claim that around 250 affected planes are already in service, with another 250 still in production. Airbus says a fix is already available, adding that the impacted aircraft are safe to continue operating.
Airbus Confirms Coating Flaw On Hundreds Of A321neos
The issue involves an excessively thin layer of anti-corrosion primer on stringers, which are structural components fitted along the fuselage to strengthen its outer skin. The primer and coating applied to them protect the structure from corrosion over the aircraft’s service life. According to a report by The Air Current, the deviation could reduce the stringers’ resistance to corrosion, with the issue potentially impacting over 500 A321neo aircraft.
Airbus confirmed the coating problem but described it as “a quality issue, not a safety issue,” with a source telling Reuters that the planemaker first became aware of the issue this summer. Along with around 250 in-service jets, other affected in-production airframes are at various stages of completion across Airbus’ supply chain in Europe, the US and China. The longer-range A321XLR — which first entered service in late 2024 — is not among the affected aircraft.
An Airbus spokesperson said,
“The rework doesn’t require any disassembly of the stringers. Once rework is applied, the aircraft is considered to be back as if at nominal design.”
Problem Traced To Italian Supplier
Airbus has reportedly traced the deviation to a second-tier supplier which sources have named as TESI, a subcontractor to Italy’s Leonardo. Leonardo is one of two stringer suppliers for the A321neo, alongside Airbus Atlantic, the manufacturer’s in-house unit formerly known as Stelia.
The manufacturer stated that the source has been “identified, contained and a remedy is available,” adding that all newly coated stringers now conform to its requirements. It also said the rework can be completed without removing the stringers, meaning the affected structures do not need to be disassembled to carry out repairs. A321neo customers have been advised that there is no immediate requirement to carry out repairs, and airlines are continuing to take delivery of affected jets.
The A321neo has become the backbone of Airbus’ narrowbody program, receiving almost 8,000 orders, which represents almost two-thirds of all A320neo family orders. More than 2,200 have been delivered, leaving a backlog of over 5,600 aircraft still to be built. Airbus recently announced it is reviving its disused former Airbus A380 wing plant in Broughton, Wales, to address its A321neo backlog.
Renewed Pressure On Yearly Delivery Target
The issue comes as Airbus strives to achieve record deliveries this year, targeting around 870 commercial aircraft in 2026. The planemaker delivered 475 aircraft between January and August this year — up from 434 for the same period in 2025 — leaving it with around 395 more in the final four months of this year to reach its target.
The A321neo will play a huge role in Airbus’ delivery push, with its most recent August delivery data showing the type accounted for 26 of the 43 A320neo-family jets Airbus delivered. The company is also in the midst of raising A320neo-family output from around 60 aircraft per month towards 75 by the end of 2027.
This is not the first quality control issue Airbus has faced with its narrowbody production in recent months. In December 2025, thickness deviations in fuselage panels made by Spanish supplier Sofitec Aero led to checks on more than 600 A320-family jets, forcing the planemaker to slash its 2025 delivery target from around 820 to around 790. The company ultimately managed a total of 793 deliveries last year and aims to increase its handovers by almost 10% in 2026.
