Air safety agency orders A380 inspections after wing spar cracks found

Europe's air safety regulator directed operators of certain Airbus A380 aircraft to conduct emergency inspections after cracks were found in an internal wing component. The directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency applies to specific aircraft identified by serial number and sets strict compliance deadlines.

The agency stated that the cracks could reduce the structural integrity of the wing and that an additional special detailed inspection must be performed. Inspecting the affected area requires access through the fuel tank.

Qantas aircraft affected Qantas has one A380, registration VH-OQI, that requires inspection before further flight. The aircraft flew from London Heathrow to Dresden on March 8 and has remained there since, according to flight tracking data. A Qantas spokesperson said the plane was already undergoing scheduled heavy maintenance and that the directive has no impact on Qantas flights.

Qantas operates ten A380s, nine of which are listed in service. The affected aircraft falls into the group requiring inspection within 25 flight cycles.

Earlier inspections and fleet context In 2023 Airbus announced inspections of A380s for similar wing-spar cracking, an issue reported by Emirates in aircraft stored during the COVID-19 pandemic. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority said it automatically applies all European emergency airworthiness directives to Australian-registered aircraft and distributed the latest directive to industry.

The directive comes as reports indicate Qantas is considering replacements for its A380 fleet, potentially Airbus A350s or Boeing 787s. Emirates operates 116 A380s, 97 of which are currently in service.