IndiGo has announced the completion of mandatory Airbus system upgrades across its entire A320-family fleet, encompassing all 200 aircraft. The airline confirmed that its fleet is now fully compliant with the latest safety requirements.
The upgrade program was executed through a coordinated effort between IndiGo's engineering and operations teams, ensuring each aircraft received the mandated system enhancement without disrupting flight schedules. IndiGo emphasized that the fleet-wide update was carried out with minimal impact on customers' journeys and zero cancellations. The airline noted that all updated aircraft are now operating with the latest approved configuration and that performance will continue to be closely monitored as part of IndiGo's routine safety procedures.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an airworthiness directive, which led to IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express undertaking software upgrades to address a potential flight control issue. The directive banned the operation of multiple Airbus A320 family aircraft models following safety concerns linked to a company-issued software update.
Airbus issued an alert that intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to flight controls on many A320 jets, requiring software changes that may lead to service disruptions. The A320 family includes A319s, A320 ceos and neos, and A321 ceos and neos, with over 8,100 such planes in service globally, with nearly 6,000 requiring software upgrades and some needing hardware realignment.
IndiGo initially reported that required actions had been completed on 160 aircraft by 12:00 IST, with inspections on the remaining aircraft progressing well. The airline confirmed that no flights had been canceled due to the ongoing inspections. However, some services may have faced slight delays, and passengers were requested to verify the latest flight status on the airline's website or contact customer support before heading to the airport.
Air India stated that it had completed safety checks on most of its Airbus A320 fleet, with the remaining checks to be completed soon. Air India Express also confirmed precautionary measures were underway, noting that while most of its aircraft were unaffected, 31 A320-family planes would undergo updates, potentially causing delays or cancellations.
The DGCA shared an update noting that major airlines like Air India, IndiGo, and Air India Express had made significant modifications to their Airbus A320 fleets, and air travel was expected to return to normal soon. IndiGo credited its engineering and operations teams for carrying out the work without cancellations or major disruptions. Air India reported it had completed the reset on over 90% of its operating A320 family aircraft impacted by the EASA and Airbus requirement for software realignment and expected to cover the entire fleet within the prescribed timeline.
The upgrades were undertaken at the airlines' bases in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata. Former pilot Ehsan Khalid explained that the software problem with one of the ELACs (Elevator Aileron Computers) is significant, as ELACs are critical to flight controls.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury apologized to customers and passengers affected by delays, emphasizing that safety is the top priority.
