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.

The air safety directive to Qantas and other airlines for some of their A380s comes amid reports that the Australian carrier is eyeing a replacement plane for the superjumbo.

The air safety directive to Qantas and other airlines for some of their A380s comes amid reports that the Australian carrier is eyeing a replacement plane for the superjumbo.