IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express flights face disruption over A320 software issue

Dubai: IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express are set to face operational disruption as they address a potential flight-control issue in their A320-family aircraft. Sources say around 200–250 planes in India will be impacted.

Airbus issued an alert on Friday, warning that intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to flight controls on many A320 jets, and that required software changes may lead to service disruptions.

Scope of the impact in India

Domestic carriers operate roughly 560 A320-family aircraft, including A319s, A320 ceos and neos, and A321 ceos and neos. Around 200–250 jets will need either software updates or hardware realignment, which may require temporary grounding.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) directed airlines to install serviceable Elevator Aileron Computers (ELAC) before affected aircraft can resume normal flights. ELAC is a key flight-control system, and modifications are mandatory to ensure safety.

Airlines respond

IndiGo said it is “working closely with Airbus to ensure implementation as per the notification” and is making every effort to minimise disruptions during inspections.

Air India Express confirmed precautionary measures are underway. While most of its aircraft are unaffected, 31 A320-family planes will undergo the updates, potentially causing delays or cancellations.

Air India said some of its fleet will require software or hardware realignment, leading to longer turnarounds and schedule delays. The airline apologised for any inconvenience to passengers.

Cause of the directive

The alert follows an incident involving an A320 in October, where a plane experienced a sudden, limited pitch-down while the autopilot remained engaged. Preliminary analysis suggested a malfunction of the ELAC may have contributed. Airbus said intense solar radiation could corrupt flight-control data, prompting a global precautionary action.

EASA warned that if uncorrected, the issue could, in extreme cases, result in uncommanded elevator movement, potentially exceeding the aircraft’s structural limits.

Global recall among the largest in Airbus history

Airbus’ directive affects 6,000 A320-family aircraft worldwide, covering more than 350 operators. Around 3,000 jets were airborne when the alert was issued. The fix involves reverting software to an earlier version and, in some cases, hardware replacement. Limited ferry flights to maintenance centres are permitted.

Airlines globally are assessing operational impacts, with delays expected across multiple regions.

What passengers need to know

• Flights may face delays or cancellations while aircraft are updated.

• No accidents linked to the solar-radiation issue have been reported; the alert is precautionary.

• Regulatory bodies, including EASA, are enforcing compliance to ensure fleet safety.