PARIS- Airbus will issue mandatory service bulletins to A380 operators in January 2026, advising checks for leading-edge slat delamination. This action follows an incident involving Emirates (EK) flight A6-EOM at Nice Airport (NCE).
The Emirates A380 experienced abnormal vibrations and muffled noise during approach on 18 August 2023 while deploying the slats to the ‘CONF 1’ setting at 3,500 ft and 212 kt—well within operational limits. Post-flight inspections revealed extensive slat damage on the right wing.
Emirates A380 Slat Issue
The Emirates A380 incident at Nice (NCE) revealed unexpected damage to the aircraft’s right-hand wing slat, just outboard of the inboard engine. During the landing configuration at 20° slat deployment (CONF 1), vibrations alerted the crew, prompting post-landing inspections.
Maintenance teams discovered that the slat’s upper and lower trailing-edge skins were torn across two-thirds of its surface. A portion of the honeycomb composite core was also missing, indicating significant internal structural compromise.
French investigators from the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) confirmed there was no evidence of a bird strike or drone collision, ruling out external impact.
Further investigation showed internal bonding defects within the slat’s metal composite structure.
Although Sonaca Group, the Belgian manufacturer of the slats, was cleared of production faults, the root cause of the defects remains undetermined. Airbus confirmed that no other in-service A380 had reported such damage prior to this incident.
Multiple Singapore Airlines A380s Also Affected
In the months following the Emirates event, inspections revealed that three Singapore Airlines (SQ) A380s had suffered similar slat damage during extension phases. Like the Emirates case, no bird strikes, drone impacts, or external collision factors were detected.
This recurring pattern raised safety concerns, although no injuries occurred and aircraft performance remained unaffected in all cases.
The finding prompted Airbus to coordinate closely with global operators and regulators.
Airbus to Mandate Repetitive Slat Inspections
Airbus has committed to issuing service bulletins by January 2026, directing all A380 operators to perform repetitive slat inspections.
These inspections, focusing on cracks and signs of delamination, will be scheduled during routine A-checks and C-checks, standard intervals for aircraft maintenance.
The BEA emphasized that while flight safety was uncompromised in these cases, proactive structural checks are necessary to ensure long-term airworthiness of the A380 fleet.
Operators are expected to integrate these inspections into their maintenance programs once the bulletin is formalized.
Emirates and Singapore Airlines A380 Fleet
| Airline | Aircraft Type | In Service | Parked | Total | Future Orders | Historic | Avg. Age | Grand Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates | Airbus A380 | 93 | 23 | 116 | 0 | 7 | 10.5 Years | 123 |
| Singapore Airlines | Airbus A380-800 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 11.5 Years | 24 |
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