Emirates Airline to conduct safety check on Airbus wings

Agency orders airlines to test for cracks on A380s

Emirates Airline said it is inspecting its Airbus A380s after European safety officials ordered airlines to check for wing cracks on the planes.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ordered the inspections after the discovery of cracks in one plane's wing led to detection of more serious fractures in other planes. "This condition, if not detected and corrected, could potentially affect the structural integrity of the aeroplane," the safety organization said.

Carriers with jets that have accumulated more than 1,300 takeoffs and landings must make the inspections, while heavily used aircraft that have accumulated more than 1,800 trips need to be checked within four days. No planes have been grounded but the inspections must be carried out within six weeks for most of the 22 aircraft placed on a check-up list.

Emirates is the largest operator of A380s with 20 aircraft. An airline spokesman declined to comment on how many were placed on the list.

While the examinations are expected to take each jet out of service for about 24 hours, the airline said service would not be disrupted as it complies with the directive.

"We have inspected one aircraft and currently have another aircraft under inspection. The directive poses no impact on Emirates operations," the Emirates spokesperson said. "The aircraft remain fully airworthy and pose no risk to flight safety as affirmed by EASA and Airbus. The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority."

Airbus has said the cracks were found on a number of "non-critical" brackets inside the wings of two aircraft during routine two-year inspections, after similar flaws showed up in five planes earlier this month.

* With additional reporting by Reuters