Airbus must inspect more planes for wing cracks, and some old repair methods are now banned

The US aviation regulator is expanding the list of Airbus A320 family planes that need to be checked for cracks in their wings. It is also banning certain repair methods that were previously allowed for these cracks. This means more planes will need inspections, and repairs will have to follow new, stricter guidelines.

Aviation regulators are constantly updating safety rules as they learn more about how planes age. This change means that a known safety issue, wing cracks, is more widespread than previously thought. It also means that some past repairs might not have been good enough, forcing airlines to re-evaluate their maintenance practices.