Flight operations worldwide are expected to face major disruption after European aircraft manufacturer Airbus ordered urgent technical updates on a large number of its A320-family aircraft. The directive requires an immediate software modification, and in some cases hardware adjustments, to be completed before the next scheduled flight of each affected aircraft.
The corrective action was mandated after Airbus discovered that intense solar radiation could interfere with flight-critical control data, potentially affecting aircraft stability. Industry sources estimate that thousands of aircraft globally, including around 300 planes in India, will need immediate rectification.
In India, the biggest impact will be on IndiGo and Air India, which operate the largest number of A320-family aircraft, including A319, A320, and A321 models. IndiGo currently operates about 370 A320-family jets, Air India has 127, and its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express operates 40 aircraft from the same family.
Most of these jets will require the software update, which is expected to take a few hours per aircraft. While individual groundings will be brief, the high daily utilization of narrow-body aircraft means even short delays can snowball into widespread flight disruptions. Indian airlines expect the rectification across their fleets to take two to three days, though the overall operational impact remains uncertain.
In its official statement, Airbus said that a recent in-service incident involving an A320-family aircraft revealed that solar radiation may corrupt data essential to flight controls. Following this, Airbus worked with aviation regulators and issued an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT), instructing airlines to immediately implement protective software and hardware measures.
“We acknowledge that these actions will cause operational disruption for passengers and airlines. Safety, however, remains our highest priority,” Airbus said.
Shortly after Airbus’s announcement, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, requiring all operators of affected A320-family aircraft to complete the prescribed fixes before further flight operations. With more than 11,000 A320-family aircraft in service globally, over half are believed to fall under the advisory.
According to EASA, the directive followed an incident in which an A320 experienced an uncommanded pitch-down movement while the autopilot remained engaged. Although the rest of the flight remained uneventful, Airbus’s preliminary investigation pointed to a malfunction in the ELAC (Elevator Aileron Computer) system. If left uncorrected, such a fault could, in extreme cases, lead to structural stress on the aircraft due to unintended elevator movement.
ELAC is a crucial flight-control computer that processes pilot input and controls the aircraft’s pitch and roll through its elevators and ailerons.
Reacting to the development, IndiGo confirmed that it is already implementing Airbus’s instructions. “We are working closely with the manufacturer to carry out the required inspections and updates while minimizing disruption. Safety remains our top priority,” an IndiGo spokesperson said.
Air India, in a post on X, stated that part of its A320 fleet will undergo software and hardware realignment, which may result in longer turnaround times and operational delays. The airline apologized to passengers for the inconvenience during the update period.
Air India Express also confirmed that it has begun immediate precautionary action. While most of its aircraft are not impacted, it warned that the global directive could still result in schedule changes, delays, or cancellations as safety procedures are completed.
