Of the 16 aircraft, 15 are operated by Emirates and one by Australia’s Qantas.Image: keystone
June 24, 2026, 01:52June 24, 2026, 01:52
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has ordered the inspection of 16 Airbus A380 aircraft. Three of them are urgent after cracks were discovered in the wing structure of a plane, aircraft manufacturer Airbus confirmed on Tuesday.
Of the 16 aircraft, 15 are operated by Emirates and one by Australia’s Qantas, an Airbus spokesman said. Five Emirates aircraft must be inspected immediately from Wednesday and before their next flight.
Emirates, the Dubai-based airline of the United Arab Emirates, is Airbus’ largest A380 customer worldwide, with a fleet of more than a hundred of these wide-body, long-haul aircraft. The inspections were ordered by EASA in a guideline. The cracks, which could affect the structural integrity of the wing, were discovered during inspections. EASA ordered this in a directive from December 2025, according to the European aircraft manufacturer.
All affected A380s have been identified. Airbus will immediately carry out inspections on five aircraft and then consult with EASA to determine whether repairs are necessary, the Airbus spokesman said. The eleven remaining aircraft can be inspected at a later date.
It is not the first time that Airbus has faced a problem of this kind on its four-engine wide-body aircraft, which was produced from 2004 to 2021 and whose final assembly took place at the Toulouse site.
Previous incidents
In 2019, EASA had already recommended checking the wings of 25 Airbus A380s due to the risk of cracks. In 2012, EASA had already called for the inspection of all aircraft in use worldwide. Microcracks had previously been discovered on the wings of some aircraft. These incidents tarnished the reputation of the world’s largest civilian airliner.
In 2019, Airbus announced the end of production of the A380, which was at the end of its life due to a lack of orders. The group stopped deliveries in 2021. (sda/afp)