Asian Carriers Inspect Airbus A380 Aircraft For Fresh Cracks

Singapore: Asian carriers are inspecting the Airbus A380 aircraft in their fleets after fresh damage was discovered on structural components inside the wings of the world's biggest passenger aircraft, renewing safety concerns about the super jumbo.
Singapore Airlines Ltd., Qantas Airways Ltd. and Korean Air Lines Co. Ltd. , among the seven carriers that fly A380s globally, said on Friday that they will inspect the planes on their fleet and do what's necessary to ensure safety.
The move comes as Airbus, the unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. EADS N.V. that manufactures the planes, confirmed Thursday the discovery of the cracks, but insisted the A380 remains safe. European air-safety regulators are poised to mandate enhanced inspections in the wake of new cracks found on an A380, according to government and industry officials.
Airbus didn't name the airlines whose planes have been affected nor give the number of planes on which the new cracks were found.
The European Aviation Safety Agency directive, which is likely to come later Friday, marks the second time in recent months that industry and government officials have focused on cracks inside A380 wings.
20/01/12 Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal

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Categories: Foreign Jan 2012, Safety Jan 2012