During repairs following the Qantas Flight 32 engine failure incident , cracks were discovered in wing fittings . As a result , the European Aviation Safety Agency issued an Airworthiness Directive in January 2012 which affected 20 A380 aircraft that had accumulated over 1,300 flights . A380s with under 1,800 flight hours were to be inspected within 6 weeks or 84 flights ; aircraft with over 1,800 flight hours were to be examined within four days or 14 flights . Fittings found to be cracked were replaced . On 8 February 2012 , the checks were extended to cover all 68 A380 aircraft in operation . The problem is considered to be minor and is not expected to affect operations . EADS acknowledged that the cost of repairs would be over $ 130 million , to be borne by Airbus . The company said the problem was traced to stress and material used for the fittings . Additionally , major airlines are seeking compensation from Airbus for revenue lost as a result of the cracks and subsequent grounding of fleets . Airbus has switched to a different type of aluminium alloy so aircraft delivered from 2014 onwards should not have this problem
Qantas Flight 32
Qantas Flight 32
Airbus A380