Numerous airlines worldwide have announced flight delays and cancellations following a warning from Airbus regarding a necessary software replacement affecting approximately 6,000 A320 aircraft. The issue centers around the aircraft’s control systems.
ANA Holdings, Japan’s largest airline, confirmed the cancellation of 65 flights. This action was a direct result of the Airbus recall, which has grounded a portion of their fleet due to concerns over the control systems.
Jetstar, the budget arm of Australian national carrier Qantas, also reported disruptions due to the Airbus A320 recall. A Jetstar spokesperson stated that the software issue impacts all A320 family operators globally, adding, “In response to a precautionary measure from Airbus, some flights have been cancelled.”
Air New Zealand announced on social media that all of its A320 aircraft would receive a software update before their next passenger flight. This process is expected to cause disruptions and cancellations across their network.
Air France cancelled 35 flights on Friday. Colombian airline Avianca reported that 70% of its fleet was affected by the technical issue related to the European aircraft manufacturer’s software.
In contrast, Korean Air stated that they do not anticipate significant disruptions to their flight schedule, as only 17 of their aircraft are affected by the recall.
The recall of 6,000 aircraft impacts a substantial portion of the global Airbus A320 fleet. The A320 is a workhorse for short-haul flights, particularly in Asia, including China and India. Globally, approximately 11,300 single-aisle aircraft are in service, with 6,440 being the core A320 model.
The repair primarily involves reverting to an older version of the aircraft’s computer software. While relatively straightforward, the scale of the recall has caused widespread disruption.
