Political leaders drawn into $2b Airbus-Qatar jet dispute

A dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways over grounded A350 jets rose to the attention of French and Qatari leaders, according to a French official and internal Airbus emails recently released as part of a UK court battle. The two leaders discussed the issue last December during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Doha, the French official told Reuters on Wednesday. Reuters was unable to determine the nature or outcome of the discussion. The exchange marks the first confirmation that a bitter contractual and safety dispute spilled beyond the courtroom. The dispute has led to fractured ties between the two companies and the unprecedented cancellation of large-scale orders. "(We) confirm that the subject was brought up along with other aspects of the bilateral economic relationship," the official said, speaking on behalf of Macron's office. Qatar's government communications office declined any comment on the matter. The French official was responding to a Reuters query about previously unreported emails released last month in court documents as part of the UK court fight between Qatar Airways and Airbus over combined claims for damages approaching $2b. The emails were supplied to the airline by Airbus under legal disclosure procedures ahead of a provisionally scheduled mid-2023 trial, barring a settlement before then. Airbus declined to comment on Thursday ahead of a new procedural hearing in a division of the High Court in London on Friday. A spokesperson for Qatar Airways could not immediately be reached for comment.<br/>