Airbus Finds More Cracks In Plane Wings But Assures Travelers They're Safe To Fly

After cracks were reported two weeks ago in the wings of Airbus’ A380 superjumbo planes, the company is assuring customers that the 525-seat double-decker behemoths are safe to fly. These models have been in the air for four years.

“Airbus confirms that some additional cracks have been found on a limited number of non-critical brackets … inside the wings of some A380s,” the planemaker said in a statement to Reuters. “Airbus emphasizes that these cracks do not affect the safe operation of the aircraft.”

The most recent cracks were discovered during a routine two-year inspection, but it hasn’t been revealed which planes were affected out of the 68 superjumbos. They appeared where earlier cracks had been found, near an L-shaped bracket that connects the wing’s exterior to the internal rib structure. It’s known by industry experts as “rib feet.”

Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Korean Air and China Southern all have those planes in their fleets.

More cracks found in Airbus A380 wings [Reuters]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.