Airlines speed up A320 updates after DGCA directive; over half of fleet upgraded, no flight cancellations so far

Airlines have moved swiftly after the aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) issued safety guidelines concerning software and hardware realignment for A320-family aircraft, as directed by the EU-based aircraft maker Airbus SE, which said an analysis of a recent event involving an A320 family aircraft revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. 

The directives, which are mandated for operators worldwide, have led to Indian carriers initiating inspections of their fleets. These A320-family planes, including the A320ceo, A320neo, A321ceo and A321neo models, flown by major airlines like IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express, are currently being inspected by the respective airlines, which, in turn, could cause minor delays during the reset period, though no flight cancellations have been reported so far.

India's largest airline, IndiGo, in a statement on X, said no flights have been cancelled as a result of these checks, but a few flights may experience minimal delays. The airline said its engineering teams have already completed the mandatory Airbus safety update on 160 out of 200 AIB-mandated A320-family aircraft. "Thanks to their tireless efforts through the night, we have maintained minimal delays and zero cancellations, keeping your plans on track with the least possible disruption. The remaining aircraft will be fully compliant well within the required timelines, and we’re committed to keeping your experience smooth every step of the way."

Earlier, IndiGo said it's undertaking all required inspections and updates to its A320 family aircraft in full accordance with directives issued by EASA and Airbus. "Working closely with both organisations, a total of 200 of our aircraft were identified for these checks. We are pleased to confirm that the required actions have already been completed on 160 aircraft by 12:00 IST, and inspections on the remaining aircraft are progressing well and will be completed within the timeline," it said.

Air India also issued a statement, saying it has completed the reset on over 40% of its aircraft that are impacted by the directive. "At Air India, safety is top priority. Following EASA and Airbus directives for a mandatory software and hardware realignment on A320 family aircraft worldwide, our engineers have been working around the clock to complete the task at the earliest. We have already completed the reset on over 40% of our aircraft that are impacted by this, and are confident of covering the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA," the airline said.

Air India also confirmed that there have been no cancellations so far, and that there isn't any major impact on schedule integrity across its network. The Tata group airline, however, said some of its flights may be slightly delayed or rescheduled. Earlier, the airline said the directive related to its A320 family aircraft currently in service could result in a software/hardware realignment, leading to longer turnaround times and delays to the scheduled operations.

The aviation regulator on October 29, 2025, issued a mandatory safety directive for Airbus A318, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft, making it mandatory for airlines to not run flights except those in “accordance with the compliance to requirement”. "Inspection and/or Modification on the following subject is mandatory. Please make the necessary amendments in the mandatory modification list. This is to ensure that no person shall operate the product which falls under the applicability of this Mandatory Modification except those who are in accordance with the compliance to the requirement of Mandatory Modification (s)/ applicable Airworthiness Directive(s)...," the notification said.

In its latest update, DGCA has said that of the total 338 aircraft from the A320 family, which are currently in service in India, 55% have already received the necessary flight-control software upgrade

What did Airbus say?

Airbus, in a statement issued on Friday, said an 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."

The aircraft maker said 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. "This AOT will be reflected in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)."