Airbus A320 software switch: Flight delays, cancellations likely; over 200 planes impacted
According to sources, IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express flight operations will face disruptions as they try to resolve a possible issue with flight controls on their A320 family aircraft, with 200-250 aircraft affected in the country.
Airbus said on Friday, November 28, 2025, that intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to flight controls on a significant number of A320 family aircraft and that software changes required to fix the problem would lead to operational disruptions.
Sources said that as most of the domestic carriers’ narrow-body A320 family aircraft are subject to software changes or, in some cases, hardware refactoring, there will be operational disruptions as the aircraft will need to be grounded.
They added that Indian operators have around 560 A320 family aircraft, of which 200-250 will need software changes or hardware refactoring.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said Airbus had asked airline operators to install a useful Elevator Flap Computer (ELAC) on affected aircraft.
ELAC is generally for flight controls.
EASA instructed that the issue be addressed by replacing or replacing the affected ELAC before the next flight operated by the affected aircraft.
IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, said on Saturday, November 29, 2025, that it was aware of a notification issued by Airbus, the manufacturer of the majority of our fleet, regarding the A320 family aircraft.
“We are working closely with Airbus to ensure the implementation of the Airbus notification. We are making every effort to minimize disruptions while carrying out the necessary inspections,” the statement said.
“We have taken immediate action in response to an alert requiring software fixes across the Airbus A320 fleet. While the majority of our aircraft are unaffected, the guidance applies to operators worldwide and may lead to adjustments to flight operations, including potential delays or cancellations,” Air India Express said in a statement.
A source said 31 A320 family aircraft of Air India Express will be affected.
In a post on X, Air India said it was aware of an Airbus directive regarding A320 family aircraft currently in service among airline operators.
“This will result in software/hardware refactoring in part of our fleet, resulting in longer turnaround time and delays in our planned operations. Air India regrets any inconvenience this may cause to passengers until a fleet-wide reset is carried out,” the airline said.
None of the three airlines disclosed the number of aircraft affected.
A320 family aircraft include A319s, A320 CEOs and neos, A321 CEOs and neos.
EASA said in its Emergency Airworthiness Directive that Airbus required airline operators to install a useful ELAC on affected aircraft.
Airbus said analysis of a recent incident involving an aircraft in the A320 family revealed that intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to the operation of flight controls.
“Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 family aircraft currently in service that may be affected,” it said in a statement.
Airbus said it recognized that these recommendations would cause operational disruptions for passengers and customers. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators while keeping safety our number one and primary priority.”
The aircraft manufacturer said it is proactively working with aviation authorities to request immediate action from operators via Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) to enforce existing software and/or hardware protection and ensure the fleet flies safely.
According to EASA, an Airbus A320 aircraft recently experienced an uncommanded and limited pitching incident.
“The autopilot remained engaged throughout the event, with a brief and limited loss of altitude, and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. Preliminary technical assessment by Airbus identified a possible failure of the affected ELAC as a contributing factor,” the statement said.
EASA said that if this situation is not corrected, in a worst-case scenario it could lead to an uncontrolled altitude movement that could cause the structural capacity of the aircraft to be exceeded.
He added that to eliminate the potential unsafe situation, a useful ELAC should be installed on the affected aircraft.
It was published – 29 November 2025 03:08 IST
