The row had led Airbus to withdraw billion-dollar plane deals and Qatar Airways to increase its purchases from Boeing Co.

Qatar Airways has returned its fleet of Airbus A350 jets into service, marking the end of a more than year-long hiatus following a rare legal clash with Airbus over damage to the aircraft’s painted surface, a senior airline executive said on Tuesday.

The Gulf carrier’s Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori revealed to Reuters the positive outlook for the airline and its growth plans, In an exclusive interview at the ITB travel fair in Berlin.

“We see opportunities by having more aircraft coming into the fleet,” Antinori told Reuters at the ITB travel fair in Berlin.

“So we see a lot of potential between Europe and Asia, Europe and Australia, Europe and Indian Ocean and Africa.”

The public legal battle between Qatar Airways and Airbus emerged when paint cracks on the A350s exposed vulnerabilities in the lightning protection sub-layer of the carbon-composite jets.

The $2 billion dispute about surface damage to the long-haul jets was resolved after the two sides revealed in a brief joint statement issued on 1 February 2023 that they would end their legal claims against one another, but that the details of the settlement were confidential.

The row had led Airbus to withdraw billion-dollar plane deals and Qatar Airways increasing its purchases from Boeing Co.

Under the new agreement, the 23 unfulfilled A350s and 50 smaller A321neo orders that were cancelled were reinstated, and Airbus was also anticipated to pay the Gulf carrier several hundred million dollars while forgoing additional claims, according to Reuters at the time.

Neither admitted fault, however, both promised to renounce their grievances and “move forward and work together as partners,” Reuters reported at the time.

Meanwhile, Antinori confirmed that the entire A350 fleet has undergone repairs and is now back in operation. “You know we had this little issue. This is solved now. Since last week they are repaired and are back in the sky.”

As the A350s take flight once again, a fast recovery and growth in air traffic is expected, particularly with a promising summer ahead, Antinori said.

The airline’s performance in January and February saw the accommodation of 7.2 million passengers, reflecting a 31% increase compared to the same period in the previous year and a substantial 40% surge from pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.