Airbus A320 recall: India grounds hundreds of aircraft, warns of delays and cancellations

NEW DELHI – Flight operations at IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express are likely to face delays or cancellations this weekend, after Airbus flagged a safety-critical issue in a section of the A320 family of jets, prompting regulators and

airlines to begin immediate corrective action

.

While initial reports suggested that around 200-250 aircraft in India may need to be grounded for a mandated software or hardware fix, a report in The Times of India said more than 350 A320 family jets have been temporarily withdrawn from service for precautionary inspections and upgrades.

The report further said that the global scale of the issue is far wider, with nearly 6,000 A320 family aircraft worldwide requiring the same corrective update.

The concern stems from Airbus’ assessment that intense solar radiation could corrupt data used by the flight-control system in certain A320 family jets.

The company has advised operators worldwide to install a serviceable Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC), a key component governing flight controls, on affected aircraft.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, ordered that the ELAC correction must be completed before the aircraft’s next flight, effectively requiring grounding until the fix is applied.

Large portion of Indian fleet affected

India operates around 560 A320-family aircraft, including A319s, A320ceo/neo variants and A321ceo/neo models. Reports said roughly half of these will need some form of intervention, either through a software fix or a hardware realignment.

Given the size of the domestic A320 fleet, especially at IndiGo which operates one of the world’s largest, officials expect a wide operational impact, including longer turnaround times, flight rescheduling, and potential cancellations.

Airlines respond

IndiGo said it is coordinating with Airbus to implement the required steps.

“We are working closely with Airbus… While we carry out the necessary inspections, we are making every effort to minimise disruptions,” the airline said.

Air India Express confirmed that it has begun “immediate precautionary action”, noting that only part of its fleet is affected but warning that the situation may still lead to delays or cancellations.

“We have initiated immediate precautionary action in response to an alert requiring a software fix on the Airbus A320 fleet. While a majority of our aircraft are not impacted, the guidance applies to operators worldwide and may result in adjustments to flight operations, including potential delays or cancellations.”

One report said 31 A320 family aircraft of Air India Express will undergo the mandated fix.

Air India also acknowledged the Airbus directive and said a section of its A320 fleet will need software or hardware realignment.

“This will result in a software/hardware realignment… leading to longer turnaround time and delays,” the airline said in a post on X.

None of the three carriers disclosed the exact number of aircraft grounded.

What triggered the warning

Airbus reportedly issued the alert after a safety incident in the United States earlier in 2025. A JetBlue A320 flying from Cancun to Newark on Oct 30 experienced an unexpected nose-down movement without any pilot command, according to The Times of India.

A preliminary assessment by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicated that the sudden descent likely occurred during an ELAC flight control computer switch change.

The aircraft diverted to Tampa as a precaution, and several passengers required medical attention after landing. This event triggered a worldwide review of the ELAC system and ultimately led Airbus to issue urgent guidance to all operators.

The agency warned that if the issue is left unaddressed, the malfunction could potentially cause uncommanded elevator movement, raising the risk of the aircraft exceeding structural limits.

Airbus said it has worked with the aviation authorities to push out immediate instructions through an Alert Operators Transmission, adding that safety remains its “overriding priority”.

The aircraft maker acknowledged that the corrective measures would cause operational disruptions and apologised for the inconvenience.

When will flights return to normal?

According to The Times of India, the grounded aircraft are expected to resume flying by next Dec 1 or Dec 2, depending on how quickly airlines complete inspections and apply the fix across their fleets.

While none of the carriers have disclosed exact grounding numbers, the scale of the work, both in India and globally, suggests that delays may continue through the week, especially for peak-hour rotations. THE STATESMAN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK