This settlement puts an end to an 18-month vendetta that had heated up the global aviation industry, avoiding a potentially damaging court trial in the UK.
An amicable and mutually acceptable resolution has been reached in a $2 billion disagreement regarding surface damage on long-haul jets, bringing an end to the dispute. The conflict resulted in Airbus losing billions of dollars worth of jet deals and prompted Qatar to increase its new aircraft orders from Airbus' American rival Boeing.
The financial details of the settlement were not made available to the public. Both Airbus and Qatar Airways stated that neither of them accepted any responsibility for the dispute. The companies committed to abandoning any claims against each other and moving forward as partners.
The settlement prevents what would have been an unprecedented public trial between two major players in the typically close-knit and secretive $150 billion aviation industry. Both Airbus and Qatar Airways had accumulated a combined $2 billion worth of claims and counter-claims in preparation for the trial, which was set to take place in June.