A major global safety precaution has prompted airlines across India to take emergency action as Airbus flagged a potential flaw in the flight-control system of its A320 family aircraft.
The warning has prompted carriers to ground a significant portion of their fleets for quick inspections and software updates. The move is expected to cause delays and operational disruptions during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
What triggered the Airbus A320 software update alert?
The issue surfaced after a JetBlue-operated A320 experienced a sudden altitude drop mid-flight earlier this month, injuring passengers and raising concerns about the jet’s stability. Airbus later found that “intense solar radiation” could corrupt data used to keep critical flight-control surfaces stable. As a result, the company issued an urgent directive for a software update, and hardware changes where needed, to be completed before the next flight.
“Analysis… has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.
Airbus… identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service… may be impacted.”
Currently ~3,000 airborne A320 family aircraft. https://t.co/HYN3QipOMm pic.twitter.com/Ye3aY3FL7E
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) November 28, 2025
Airbus said the fix applies to more than half of its active A320-family fleet globally, covering over 6,500 aircraft, including A319s, A320 ceos and neos, and A321 ceos and neos.
Which Indian airlines are affected by the A320 fix?
India operates around 560 A320-family jets, and over 200 require immediate software or hardware adjustments. These aircraft must be grounded temporarily while engineers complete the modifications.
IndiGo confirmed that it is working on the required upgrades. “We are working closely with Airbus to ensure implementation as per Airbus’s notification. While we carry out the necessary inspections, we are making every effort to minimise disruptions,” the airline said.
Safety comes first. Always. 💙✈
Airbus has issued a technical advisory for the global A320 fleet. We are proactively completing the mandated updates on our aircraft with full diligence and care, in line with all safety protocols. While we work through these precautionary…
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) November 28, 2025
Air India Express said most of its fleet is not impacted, but acknowledged that operations may slow down. “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,” it said.
Please visit https://t.co/SqGk3gEKqm to check your flight status, or #ChatWithTia on WhatsApp at +91 65600 12345. pic.twitter.com/5SNXKwZjES
— Air India Express (@AirIndiaX) November 28, 2025
Air India added that the update may increase turnaround time. It said, “This will result in a software or hardware realignment on a part of our fleet, leading to longer turnaround time and delays to our scheduled operations.”
What has DGCA ordered for Indian A320 operators?
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed all operators of A318, A319, A320, and A321 aircraft to ensure that no plane flies until it complies with the mandatory modifications. Airlines must also update their master modification lists and confirm compliance under airworthiness rules.
How will the A320 grounding affect passengers?
With several aircraft grounded at once, airlines expect delays, rescheduled flights, and potential cancellations. Longer airport waits are also likely. Carriers have advised passengers to check flight status frequently until operations stabilise.
