Air India and IndiGo have issued warnings of potential flight delays following a new technical directive from Airbus requiring software and hardware realignments on their A320 fleet. The directive affects a significant portion of the global A320 family, potentially impacting numerous domestic routes.
Air India acknowledged the Airbus directive, stating that the necessary updates would lead to longer turnaround times and subsequent delays in scheduled operations. The airline urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport and offered assistance through its website and call center. IndiGo released a similar statement, emphasizing that safety remains their top priority and that they are diligently implementing the mandated Airbus updates across their A320 aircraft. The airline also cautioned passengers about potential schedule changes and assured them that their teams are available to assist with rebooking and provide travel updates via the IndiGo app and website.
The software fix is being implemented as a precautionary measure after a safety investigation into a JetBlue A320 flight on October 30 experienced a sudden pitch-down incident while traveling from Cancun to Newark. The National Transportation Safety Board linked the incident to a switching event in the aircraft's flight control system, which prompted regulators and manufacturers to mandate corrective action. Airbus has stated that intense solar radiation might corrupt data critical to flight controls in the A320 fleet.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring operators worldwide to complete the A320 software and hardware upgrade. While newer A320 aircraft are expected to be updated relatively quickly, within 30 minutes, older jets may require additional hardware modifications, increasing the downtime. Reportedly, replacing the software will take a few hours on most planes, but for approximately 1,000 aircraft, the process could take weeks. Airlines must complete the work before the next flight, excluding any re-positioning flight to a repair base.
Both Air India and IndiGo are working to minimize disruptions while implementing the required precautionary measures. Air India recently completed a retrofit program for its legacy A320neo fleet, with the last of 27 retrofitted aircraft returning to service featuring redesigned cabin interiors and new livery. With new A320neo aircraft and those added through the Vistara merger, Air India now operates 104 A320-family aircraft, all featuring upgraded or new interiors. Air India Express has also initiated immediate precautionary action and cautioned that adjustments to flight operations, including potential delays or cancellations, may occur.
The A320 family includes A319s, A320 ceos and neos, and A321 ceos and neos. Approximately 6,000 aircraft globally will require the upgrade.
