Airbus, Qatar trial to be split as A350 jet row rumbles on

A $2b legal battle between Airbus and Qatar Airways looks set to drag through most of 2023 after a UK court split the case, amid a glimmer of hope that high-level contacts on the sidelines of the World Cup might yield a breakthrough. The dispute over damage to the surface and lightning protection on A350 jetliners grounded by Qatar has led to months of legal manoeuvering between two of aviation's largest players and the unprecedented cancellation of large-scale orders. Judge David Waksman ordered a trial set for next June to be split in two parts because of the sheer weight of disagreements, ensuring the unusually public industry saga rolls on for months. The first part will focus on liability with the combined claims, estimated at around $2b, tackled later. Qatar Airways says widespread paint cracking has exposed deeper damage on some A350 jets, prompting it to stop taking deliveries. Qatar's regulator has grounded at least 29 of the jets, citing unanswered safety questions, over the past year. Airbus has acknowledged quality problems with its premier long-haul model but denies any risk to safety and has cancelled all outstanding new business with Qatar Airways, which has increased purchases from rival Boeing. On Friday, the two sides clashed angrily over access to the affected planes with Airbus lawyer David Wolfson complaining with the aid of photographs that its experts had been forced to photograph jets from a distance "under the light of the moon".<br/>