Airbus, the European plane maker, has ordered urgent repairs for thousands of its A320 family aircraft. This action is expected to cause flight delays and cancellations around the world, Reuters reported. Early estimates suggest that around 300 planes in India will be affected.
The repairs are needed immediately and will be carried out before the next flight of each plane. Airbus said the problem comes from intense solar radiation, which can damage data that controls the aircraft. Some planes may also need small hardware fixes along with software updates.
Indian airlines to feel the impact
IndiGo and Air India are the main Indian airlines flying A320 family planes, which include A320, A319, and A321 models. IndiGo has 370 A320 family jets. Air India has 127 jets, meanwhile, Air India Express operates 40 A320 family planes.
Most of these planes will need the software update, which will take a few hours for each aircraft. Even short groundings can cause big delays because these planes usually fly multiple times a day. Airlines in India expect the software update for all affected planes to be done in two to three days, but the exact impact on flights is still unclear.
Indigo, Air India update on Airbus delay
In a statement on X, Indigo said, “Airbus has issued a technical advisory for the global A320 fleet. We are proactively completing the mandated updates on our aircraft with full diligence and care, in line with all safety protocols. While we work through these precautionary updates, some flights may see some slight schedule changes. Our teams are here 24×7 to support you with rebooking, updates, and information. Please check your latest flight status on our app/website before heading to the airport. Thank you for your patience and trust in us.”
Air India also released a statement, “We are aware of a directive from Airbus related to its A320 family aircraft currently in-service across airline operators. This will result in a software/hardware realignment on a part of our fleet, leading to longer turnaround time and delays to our scheduled operations. Air India regrets any inconvenience this may cause to passengers till the reset is carried out across the fleet. We request customers to check their flight status before heading to the airport and connect with our contact centre at 011-69329333, 011-69329999 for any further assistance.”
Why are the repairs needed?
According to Airbus, a recent incident showed that solar flares could damage flight control systems. The company identified a large number of A320 planes in service that might be affected. They have issued instructions to airlines to fix the problem and make sure all planes are safe.
“Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted. Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly,” Airbus said in a release.
Global flight disruption
Airbus said around 6,000 A320 jets worldwide need repairs. This is one of the largest recalls in Airbus’ 55-year history. The A320 recently became the world’s most-delivered plane, beating the Boeing 737. Airlines across the US, Europe, India, South America, and New Zealand have warned that this could lead to delays or cancellations.
