Many airlines announced delays and cancellations on Friday after Airbus issued a warning that up to 6,000 active A320 planes may need to be upgraded, AFP reports. IndiGo, Air India and other airlines are expected to face operational disruptions as they address a possible flight control problem in their A320 family fleets.
According to PTI sources, around 200-250 aircraft in India could be affected. The update primarily requires a rollback to previous software, and planes must undergo the change before they are cleared to fly again, according to an airline bulletin reviewed by Reuters. Several carriers have warned that completion of repairs could lead to delays or cancellations.
List of airlines affected by the A320 software change
American Airlines
The world’s largest operator of A320s said about 340 of its 480 A320s would require repairs. The airline noted that it largely expects the updates to be completed by Saturday, with each plane needing about two hours.
Lufthansa
The German carrier expects a limited number of cancellations or delays over the weekend as the measures recommended by Airbus will take several hours per aircraft to implement.
Avianca
The Colombian airline said the recall affects more than 70% of its fleet, which will inevitably lead to “significant” operational disruptions over the next 10 days. It has suspended the sale of tickets for travel dates until December 8.
(This is a developing story. More to come)
