The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has ordered emergency inspections of 16 Airbus A380 aircraft after cracks were discovered in a structural component inside the wings of one of the superjumbos.
Airbus, Europe's largest aircraft manufacturer, confirmed that 15 of the affected aircraft are operated by Dubai-based Emirates and one by Australia's Qantas. Five Emirates aircraft have been ordered to undergo inspections before their next flight.
The checks will focus on the wing mid-spar, a key structural element inside the wing box that helps distribute the stresses generated during flight.
The regulator has not grounded the entire A380 fleet and there is no indication of an immediate safety risk across all aircraft. But emergency directives from EASA are rare and usually reserved for issues that could affect the airworthiness of an aircraft if left unchecked.
The A380, the world's largest passenger jet, entered service in 2007 and remains a flagship aircraft on some of the world's busiest long-haul routes, despite Airbus ending production in 2021.
