Airbus to inspect 16 A380s after cracks found on plane wings

An Airbus A380 takes off for a flying display during the Farnborough International Airshow in England on Tuesday, July 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

TOULOUSE, France - Airbus on Tuesday said it would inspect 16 A380 planes, five of them immediately, after cracks were found in a key wing component on aircraft used by the Emirates and Qantas airlines.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has ordered urgent inspections requiring airlines to examine the wing-spar structure on the affected jets after inspectors found cracks during routine maintenance checks.

The cracks appeared in a structural beam that runs along the wing and carries much of the aerodynamic load during flight.

Of the 16 planes to be inspected, 15 are operated by Emirates and one by Qantas. The five aircraft to be inspected immediately are flown by Emirates, and they were to undergo the process as soon as Wednesday.

Airlines using the A380 include Emirates, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, Etihad Airways, ANA and Asiana Airlines.

Emirates operates the largest A380 fleet in the world, flying over half of all active superjumbos.

Cracks on an aircraft that “could reduce the structural integrity of the wing” were discovered during inspections ordered by EASA in a directive issued in December 2025, the European planemaker said.

All A380s “with the same production history” have been identified, and Airbus will carry out immediate inspections on five aircraft.

The Toulouse-based plane manufacturer will discuss with EASA whether repairs are necessary, an Airbus spokesperson said.

The 11 other aircraft can be inspected later, but before their thirteenth flight, that is, 25 cycles, with one cycle consisting of a flight, a takeoff, and a landing.

The A380 has faced wing-related problems before and the EASA in 2012 ordered inspections after cracks were found in brackets linking the wing skin to internal ribs.

That affected the entire global A380 fleet and led to a costly repair program which Airbus addressed through design changes on planes produced later.