Two years after the A380 left the production line, Airbus is preparing to welcome some of these colossal planes back to Toulouse for wing inspections.
The Jean-Luc Lagardere plant, opened in 2004, is one of the few industrial buildings tall enough to accommodate the A380 and the second-largest structure in the world by usable space.
A380 production ceased in 2021, and now a portion of the immense Jean-Luc Lagardere assembly hall is dedicated to the production line of the A321neo, a transition set to be formally inaugurated on Monday.
Beyond this repurposing of space and conversion of production lines to this decade’s star single-aisle aircraft, Airbus will host several A380s from its largest customer, Emirates, for inspections and possible repairs after accelerated cracks were detected in some wing spars of jets stored during the pandemic.
In preparation for this, a dedicated “A380 Emirates” inspection facility within the plant has been under construction since December. The project is projected to last until the third quarter of 2024.
As reported by Reuters, Airbus has also agreed to provide special bonuses to the workers involved in this project, retroactively applied since the end of last year. An Airbus spokesperson confirmed their support for the inspections in Toulouse, highlighting their commitment to this important repair project.
Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, downplayed the importance of these inspections, stating they pose no immediate safety issue and forecasting minimal impact on their operations. The repair program will follow specified timelines based on the installation date of each wing.
“Much of the work will be conducted at the Emirates Engineering Centre, with Airbus providing us additional MRO (Maintenance and Repair) support in Toulouse,” commented a spokesperson for the airline. The inspection and repair time per aircraft will largely depend on findings, but it is expected to average around 60 days.
The President of Emirates, Tim Clark, also assured that the issue would have “very little impact on our operating profit.”
