Are UAE flights affected by Airbus A320 software fix?

Etihad restores A320 flights, Air Arabia implementing updates with limited disruption

Last updated: November 29, 2025 | 11:29

Nivetha Dayanand, Assistant Business Editor

2 MIN READ

the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) has cautioned passengers to take precautions when travelling abroad.

Pixabay

Dubai: As the winter break begins and UAE travellers prepare for the long weekend rush, some passengers are wondering whether their flight plans could be affected by the sweeping Airbus directive impacting thousands of A320-family jets worldwide.

Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.

The update follows a global instruction from Airbus covering up to 6,000 A320 aircraft after the manufacturer identified a potential risk in flight-control computers linked to high solar radiation. Aviation regulators in Europe and other regions warned that rolling out the fix could cause delays, prompting carriers to issue public reassurances.

Etihad operations back to normal

Etihad Airways confirmed that all its A320 operations have returned to the full schedule following the software installation, completing the work with minimal interruption.

“Etihad Airways flights have returned to normal scheduled operations following the successful installation of the required Airbus software update across our A320 fleet,” the airline said in a statement to Gulf News. “Thanks to the exceptional efforts of our operational and technical teams, the update was completed quickly and with minimal disruption—despite this being one of the busiest travel periods at Zayed International Airport ahead of the long weekend.”

Also Read: Airbus A320 recall: Global airlines rush to fix jet software, UAE flights resume normally

Also Read: Air Arabia to complete Airbus A320 updates by end of day

Also Read: Etihad Airways restores full A320 operations after global Airbus recall

Also Read: Saudia, flynas review A320 fleet after Airbus issues major global safety directive

The airline added, “We appreciate the professionalism of our teams across the network and thank our guests for their patience and understanding. Safety remains Etihad’s highest priority, and we are pleased to have restored regular services swiftly.”

Air Arabia carrying out updates

Sharjah-based budget carrier Air Arabia confirmed it is implementing the required software and technical updates on affected A320 aircraft under Airbus’s global directive.

"In line with this advisory, we have begun implementing the required measures across the impacted aircraft in our fleet and expect to complete all updates by the end of today," the spokesperson said. "Our teams have worked diligently to ensure minimal impact on our customers throughout this process."

Air Arabia apologised for any inconvenience caused and reaffirmed that safety remains its top priority.

No impact on Emirates or flydubai

The directive applies only to Airbus A320-family aircraft, which means commercial operations at Emirates and flydubai remain unaffected.

For UAE travellers, the update appears to have little immediate effect, with airlines moving quickly to complete the required work and keep schedules on track even during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.

Nivetha DayanandAssistant Business Editor

Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, covering aviation, financial markets and commodities. A business and financial journalist with a strong interest in multimedia storytelling, she regularly takes complex financial and economic subjects beyond the written word, producing explainer videos that make them easier for a wider audience to understand. Nivetha has interviewed senior policymakers, business leaders and global financial figures both on and off camera. Her past guests include UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, a member of the House of Saud and the founder and CEO of KBW Ventures, Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund and Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu. She has also hosted and moderated panels, conferences and awards shows, bringing her newsroom experience to live conversations on business, finance and the economy. An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha is drawn to stories that affect people directly and to reporting that gives a platform to voices that might otherwise go unheard. She was among the first journalists to speak to Petrofac employees in the UAE about unpaid salaries, broke the news of the planned demolition of Dubai’s well-known “Toyota Building”, and helped set the record straight on widely circulated claims that a giant replica of the Moon was coming to Dubai. More recently, her exclusive interview with EDGE Group CEO Hamad Al Marar revealed how the UAE-based defence group deployed its systems along the country’s shore border and established a geofence around the UAE within 48 hours of the February 28 escalation. Prior to joining Gulf News, Nivetha worked at ITP Media, where she helped launch Finance Middle East, a new publication covering the region’s financial sector. Her role spanned reporting and editing, video production, interviews and events. Across print, digital, and video, she focuses on finding the people behind business stories and explaining why those stories matter to the audience reading or watching them.