Airbus A380 Fleet Needs Full Inspection of Wings Amid Cracks

Airlines were ordered to inspect all operating Airbus SAS A380 aircraft, as Europe’s air safety regulator escalates required checks after the wings of the double-decker superjumbo developed cracks.

The directive by the European Aviation Safety Agency addresses all 68 A380s in operation, after the watchdog had initially targeted only the 20 most heavily used airliners in a previous request. Carriers must report their inspections to Airbus, which said the plane remains safe to fly.