Air travel in India is facing potential disruptions this weekend due to a mandatory software upgrade affecting Airbus A320 family aircraft. Airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, have issued advisories regarding possible delays and cancellations as they work to implement the required changes.

Why are A320 Jets Grounded?

The grounding stems from a safety investigation following an incident on October 30 involving a JetBlue A320 flight from Cancun to Newark. The aircraft experienced a sudden, uncommanded pitch-down, prompting an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, and resulting in minor injuries to some passengers. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) linked the incident to a switching event in the aircraft's flight control system.

Further analysis by Airbus revealed that intense solar radiation could potentially corrupt critical flight-control data in the Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC), a key system for controlling the aircraft. Airbus characterized this as a "very serious technical risk". To prevent similar occurrences, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive, mandating software and, in some cases, hardware upgrades for A320 family aircraft worldwide.

Airlines’ Advisories

Indian airlines operating A320 family aircraft, including IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express, have acknowledged the directive and are taking precautionary measures.

• Air India: The airline stated it is "aware of a directive from Airbus related to its A320 family aircraft currently in-service across airline operators," and noted that the requirement will involve a "software/hardware realignment" on part of its fleet. Air India has warned of "longer turnaround times and delays" during the update process and has apologized for any inconvenience to passengers.
• IndiGo: The country's largest airline confirmed it is aware of the Airbus notification and is working to minimize disruptions. IndiGo emphasized that "safety comes first" and that it is carrying out the mandated updates with "full diligence and care, in line with all safety protocols".
• Air India Express: The airline confirmed receipt of the alert and stated it has initiated immediate precautionary action in response to the software fix requirement. While the majority of its aircraft are unaffected, Air India Express cautioned that the global directive may result in adjustments to flight operations, including potential delays or cancellations.

Passengers are advised to check their flight status before traveling and to expect potential delays or cancellations. Airlines are providing assistance to affected travelers.

What Happens Next?

The mandatory fix requires grounding the affected planes while maintenance crews implement changes in software or, in some cases, replace hardware. Newer A320 aircraft are expected to be updated within 30 minutes using software loading tools, while older jets may need additional hardware modifications, potentially increasing downtime.

Globally, approximately 6,000 aircraft are affected by this issue, making it one of Airbus's largest recalls. In India, over 350 A320-series planes operated by IndiGo and the Air India Group will be temporarily taken out of service. Operations are expected to normalize by December 1st or 2nd.

While the temporary grounding of a significant portion of the A320 fleet will inevitably lead to delays and cancellations across domestic and international networks, the airlines and Airbus are working to minimize disruptions and ensure the safety of flight operations.