Qantas A380 wing damage: Flight from Sydney to Los Angeles grounded after first flight since return to skies

A Qantas plane from Sydney to Los Angeles has been grounded over wing damage noticed after landing, just two days after the airline celebrated the aircraft’s return to the skies.

Australian actress Lynn Gilmartin photographed the damage upon landing in Los Angeles, with the A380 plane operating its first flight since rejoining the fleet after spending five and a half years in storage.

“A section of the slat on the left wing of one of our A380s was found to be damaged after landing in Los Angeles Sunday local time,” a Qantas spokesperson said.

“The aircraft operated normally and landed without incident. Engineers are now replacing the slat so it can return to operations.”

The slat is a movable panel on the front edge of the airplane wing that helps the plane fly safely at slow speeds during takeoff and landing.

The incident comes just weeks after Qantas announced the completion of its A380 fleet renewal, following nearly six years of storage for 10 superjumbos.

“Bringing an A380 back into service after nearly six years in storage is no small feat,” Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said.

“Teams of engineers around the globe came together to complete more than 100,000 hours of work to prepare the aircraft for flying again, from extensive checks to heavy maintenance, landing gear replacement, a full cabin refresh and assessment flying, with parts shipped by land, sea and sky.”

Qantas said it was the largest maintenance check undertaken in the airline’s 105-year history.

The aircraft, which is named named after one of the Qantas founders, “Paul McGinness” will serve as an operational spare during the busy Christmas period, Qantas said. From January 1, 2026, the A380 will be used on the airline’s popular Sydney to Dallas route.

“The return of our final A380 means we can offer even more seats on popular long-haul routes to destinations like Dallas, Singapore and Johannesburg,” Mr Wallace said.