Madrid, December 5 - A Spanish trade union has disclosed that it alerted authorities and Airbus to persistent quality control lapses at a key local supplier over a year ago, raising alarms about production deficiencies that have now forced the aircraft giant to slash its delivery targets amid Airbus supplier quality issues. The revelations from UGT FICA Seville, representing workers at Sofitec Aero in Seville, come just days after Airbus announced a 4% reduction in its full-year commercial jet deliveries to around 790 units, blaming faulty fuselage panels machined by the supplier for weak November performance.
Union representatives, including organization secretary Carlos Parra, emphasized that their members first spotted the anomalies in panel thickness, issues stemming from inadequate production processes and working conditions that hampered traceability of critical components. "We have been warning for over a year about possible quality issues. In fact, it was our representatives who reported these anomalies," Parra told Reuters, underscoring complaints lodged with Sofitec management, Airbus, and unspecified official bodies. While the defects do not pose immediate safety risks, the panels reportedly exceed maximum stress tolerances, and the lapses echo broader concerns over Airbus supply chain oversight, following an emergency recall of thousands of A320 jets for software fixes.
The disclosures highlight a pattern of ignored whistleblower alerts in Europe's aviation sector, where cost pressures and aggressive timelines often sideline rigorous inspections. UGT's separate statement detailed "alleged deficiencies in production processes and working conditions that prevented adequate control and traceability," communicated repeatedly since at least late 2024. Sofitec, one of two external machinists for the panels, declined comment, while Airbus identified the supplier in a recent airline presentation but offered no immediate response to the union's claims.
As Spanish regulators probe the fallout, the episode intensifies scrutiny on Airbus A320 quality scandals and supplier accountability, with calls for enhanced audits to avert future disruptions. Families of aviation workers and industry watchdogs warn that unchecked Airbus supplier quality issues could erode trust in one of Europe's flagship manufacturers, potentially rippling through global fleets and delaying orders worth billions.
