The European Aviation Safety Agency has ordered all 67 Airbus A380 superjumbo planes currently in operation to be checked for wing cracks, a spokesman said.

Already in January, EASA said that 20 such jets be inspected after cracks were found in the wings of Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Air France planes.

"In view of the outcome of those checks, it was decided to expand them to the entire fleet currently in operation," the spokesman said.

Last month, Airbus's vice president Tom Williams said that the tiny wing cracks could be easily repaired and posed no danger.

"This is not a fatigue cracking problem," Williams said, blaming the cracks on design and manufacturing issues. "The cracks do not compromise the airworthiness of the aircraft."

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