The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring additional inspections on 16 Airbus A380 aircraft after cracks were found in structural components of the wing.

The directive applies to Airbus A380-841, A380-842 and A380-861 aircraft and became effective on June 24, 2026. According to EASA, the inspections concern the wing mid spars, key load-bearing elements within the wing structure. The agency said that a review of previous inspection results determined that cracks found on certain aircraft could reduce the structural integrity of the wing.

The most urgent inspections apply to aircraft with manufacturer serial numbers MSN 190, 202, 203, 209 and 228. These aircraft must be inspected before their next flight, unless they are flown under limited ferry-flight conditions to a location where the inspection can be carried out. Such ferry flights are allowed without passengers, under non-ETOPS conditions and for up to three flight cycles.

A further 11 aircraft, with serial numbers MSN 30, 42, 55, 56, 105, 142, 184, 187, 208, 227 and 234, must be inspected within 25 flight cycles from the effective date of the directive.

According to available information, 15 of the affected aircraft are operated by Emirates, the world’s largest Airbus A380 operator, while one is operated by Qantas. The Australian carrier said its affected A380 was already undergoing scheduled maintenance and that the additional inspection requirements were not expected to affect its flight schedule.

EASA said Airbus had determined that an additional special detailed inspection was necessary following earlier findings. If any discrepancy is detected during the inspection, operators must contact Airbus before the next flight and follow the applicable repair instructions. Inspection results, including cases with no findings, must be reported to Airbus within seven days.

This is not the first time the Airbus A380 has been subject to wing-related inspections. Similar concerns led to fleet inspections more than a decade ago, including a wider inspection programme in 2012 and further findings related to other wing structure areas in 2019.

EASA describes the latest directive as an interim action, meaning further regulatory measures could follow depending on the inspection results. Airbus has reportedly said it is supporting operators with the checks and will work with EASA on any required follow-up actions.