Aircraft

Belgian aerospace manufacturer Sonaca Group is to pay €3 million ($3.8 million) to Airbus to correct problems on a batch of leading-edge slats.

Some 300 slats for Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft have been found to have the problem. While Sonaca has not specified the issue, it says its nature is aesthetic, rather than structural.

"It is not a question of safety, it is a question of aesthetics," says a Sonaca spokesman. "We are putting into place a rapid repair procedure with Airbus."

Sonaca maintains that the €3 million is for the cost of repair to slats which were delivered between March and September this year.

"We are trying to progress the problem in a professional way with our client," it adds. Airbus could not immediately comment on the matter.

The Belgian group develops, manufactures, assembles and tests wing leading-edge slats and associated de-icing systems for the Airbus A320, A330/340 and A380.

Sonaca has been a partner of Airbus for more than 25 years through the Belairbus group.