New Delhi : Air travel in India and abroad is likely to face disruptions this weekend as thousands of Airbus A320-family aircraft undergo a mandatory software update, prompting temporary groundings. Airbus said on Friday that intense solar radiation could corrupt data essential to flight-control systems in a significant number of A320-family jets and that the required software updates would inevitably lead to schedule disruptions.
With domestic carriers preparing to ground aircraft for software modifications and, in some cases, hardware realignment, sources indicated that flight operations will be impacted as these narrow-body jets undergo the mandated fixes. Aviation experts estimate that nearly 400 aircraft could ultimately be impacted in India. The aviation watchdog on Saturday said that it acted immediately with Indian carriers to draw up an action plan for completing the required upgrades within the stipulated time.
Based on the Airbus AOT and EASA Emergency AD, DGCA has issued a Mandatory Modification on November 29 prescribing the mandatory actions required for the continued safe operation of the aircraft, the regulator said. PTI sources said no cancellations have been reported so far, though some flights are seeing delays of 60-90 minutes while updates are being carried out. The directive primarily impacts the Airbus A320, one of the world’s highest-selling aircraft types. IndiGo is expected to face the largest operational hit.
In a statement, Air India Express said, “We have initiated immediate precautionary action in response to an alert requiring a software fix on the Airbus A320 fleet. While a majority of our aircraft are not impacted, the guidance applies to operators worldwide and may result in adjustments to flight operations, including potential delays or cancellations.”
None of the three carriers disclosed the total number of aircraft impacted or delayed due to the issue. Airbus acknowledged the disruptions but said the precautions are essential for safety. The aircraft maker said it is coordinating with regulators to implement immediate protection measures through an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT).