Overview

• EASA has issued 95 airworthiness directives for the A380 since January 2020, about twice the number for comparable large Boeing jets.
• Mechanical faults such as leaking escape slides, cracked seals and ruptured landing-gear axles have triggered costly delays including multi-day holds for Qantas flights.
• Comprehensive inspections can require up to 60,000 labour hours, prompting carriers to send A380s to repair hubs in Manila, Dresden and China.
• With Boeing’s 777X delayed and Airbus unable to ramp up A350 output, airlines lack viable large-capacity alternatives to the out-of-production superjumbo.
• British Airways will begin cabin overhauls in 2026 and Emirates has committed to flying its A380s into the next decade despite rising upkeep costs.