Emirates has not revealed the number of aircraft in its fleet that are affected.
Dubai: Emirates, Dubai’s flagship carrier, will begin inspecting its Airbus A380 aircraft within the next 48 hours after European regulators ordered urgent checks of the superjumbo’s wing structure following cracks found during routine maintenance inspections.
The airline said it will comply with the airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and will complete all required inspections before returning any affected aircraft to service.
“Emirates said in a statement that it will comply with the airworthiness directive and carry out the required inspections. Inspections will begin within the next 48 hours, and any necessary work will be completed before the aircraft are returned to service.”
“We remain in close contact with Airbus and the relevant authorities to minimise any disruption to the operating schedule,” the airline said.
Emirates has not disclosed how many aircraft in its fleet are affected. However, The Guardian reported that 15 of the 16 Airbus A380 aircraft identified for inspection are operated by Emirates, with the remaining aircraft belonging to Qantas.
The inspections come after Airbus announced that 16 A380 aircraft require checks following the discovery of cracks in a key structural component of the aircraft’s wing.
