ST PETERSBURG: The head of Qatar Airways on Thursday urged the board of Airbus to intervene in a dispute between the two companies, telling Reuters that failure to find a solution would risk "industrial repercussions" for the European planemaker.

In an interview, Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said the ball was in Airbus' court to find a solution before the dispute escalated further. He declined to give specifics, but denied a Reuters report that it concerned A350 paintwork.

An Airbus spokesman said the planemaker regularly held talks with its customers and that these remained confidential.