Qatar Airways said a problem with rapidly deteriorating surface paint that led to the grounding of 16 of its Airbus A350 jets has also affected lightning protection on the model’s fuselage and caused cracks on the composite structure. CEO Akbar Al Baker also disputed a statement from Airbus that it had identified the cause of the problem, which the European planemaker said is limited to surface paint and doesn’t affect airworthiness. The dust-up with its largest A350 customer is escalating just as Airbus ramps up a sales campaign for a coming freighter version of the wide-body jet. Al Baker has said he’s interested in the new freighter, as well as a competing model expected from Boeing. The Doha-based airline will make a decision soon on an order for 50 freighters, but won’t buy any more A350s from Airbus until the surface issue is fixed, he said. “It is a problem with the paint that has led to us getting deterioration on the lightning protection of the fuselage and cracks appearing on the composite,” Al Baker said in an interview at an airline industry summit in Boston. The paint is not deteriorating on metal areas of the aircraft, and only where there is “aerodynamic stress,” he said.<br/>
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RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo, like many airline executives before her, sees a continent of opportunities for her airline across Africa. But RwandAir has a leg up: A multi-million dollar investment from Qatar Airways that could help transform the Kigali-based carrier into a regional powerhouse. “The time is now to act,” Makolo said of Africa’s growth potential at the IATA Annual General Assembly in Boston on September 3. That opportunity existed both before the Covid-19 pandemic and in the recovery that has hit some of the continent’s legacy carriers hard — South African Airways only resumed flights in September after an 18-month suspension, and even now is only flying 3 percent of its October 2019 capacity. RwandAir’s new strategic partnership with Qatar Airways will help it act. Qatar Airways will take a 49% stake in RwandAir under a deal that has been finalized but not yet closed, said Makolo. Once that is done, the carriers will cooperate in a number of “commercial initiatives.” A new codeshare agreement is a big step forward on those initiatives. The airlines will implement a broad partnership covering more than 65 destinations in Africa and around the world. RwandAir travelers will gain new connectivity to destinations in Europe and the U.S., and Qatar Airways increased access to Africa. As part of the deal, RwandAir will begin flights to Doha in December. The route will complement its existing Dubai service.<br/>
Qantas boss Alan Joyce has revealed that Australian passengers will still need to undergo at least four COVID tests, as well as be fully vaccinated, when flying the airline internationally. Joyce revealed a few new details on what the future of travelling internationally will look like for Australians. Joyce said that passengers will generally be required to complete a pre-flight COVID test both before leaving Australia and prior to their return flight, as well as complete two additional tests during their seven-day home quarantine stay, on top of being fully vaccinated. It is currently unclear what the protocol will be for passengers who contract the virus while on their travels, and if they will be unable to board any, or certain, flights back to Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed late last week that international borders will reopen for double-jabbed Australian citizens and residents once the country reaches the 80% vaccination target, and a seven-day home quarantine requirement will be introduced, instead of hotel quarantine. Joyce revealed that while under seven-day home quarantine, travellers will be required to take at least two COVID tests following their return from overseas.<br/>