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

Saudia has confirmed it is reviewing required updates to its Airbus A320-family aircraft after the manufacturer issued a global safety directive — a sweeping recall affecting more than half of the world’s A320 fleet.

In a statement, the airline said it is “assessing any potential impact on flight schedules” and will contact affected guests directly if changes are needed.

Travellers are urged to keep their contact details updated and monitor notifications for real-time updates.

Similarly, flynas has received a directive from Airbus regarding A320 aircraft currently operating with multiple airlines worldwide. As a precaution, a software and technical recalibration will be carried out on part of the Flynas fleet.

The airline said in a statement that this may result in longer turnaround times for a limited number of flights and cause some delays to the operating schedule. Passengers whose flights could be affected will be contacted directly via SMS or email and can also monitor flight status on the airline’s website.

Flynas emphasised that these measures are part of its ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety.

The directive follows Airbus’ Friday announcement mandating immediate repairs to 6,000 A320-family jets, in one of the largest recalls in the manufacturer’s 55-year history.

The bulletin affects over 350 operators globally and comes during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year in the United States. At the time the directive was issued, around 3,000 A320 aircraft were airborne worldwide.

According to Airbus, the required fix largely involves reverting to earlier software versions and is considered straightforward, though it must be completed before aircraft can resume normal operations, except for limited ferry flights to maintenance centres.

Airlines across multiple regions, including Saudia and flynas, are assessing operational impacts as the recall triggers worldwide disruption.