New Delhi, India: Indian airlines may face delays and cancellations as Airbus has flagged a technical concern in its A320 aircraft family, prompting mandatory software updates and possible hardware checks. This advisory follows an incident earlier this month when 15 passengers were injured aboard a JetBlue A320 flying from Mexico after a sudden altitude drop forced an emergency landing in Florida.

According to reports, Airbus SE has informed global operators that more than half of its active A320-series aircraft require a software correction. India currently operates around 560 A320 family jets, and sources told PTI that over 200 of them will need either software modifications or certain hardware alignments.

Possible Impact on Airlines

Since these aircraft will have to undergo inspections and updates, some operational interruptions are expected internationally and within India. The A320 family consists of A319, A320 (ceo and neo), and A321 (ceo and neo) variants.

Several Indian carriers have issued statements addressing the situation. IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, confirmed it had received Airbus’ advisory and is coordinating with the manufacturer to carry out the required actions. The airline stated it is attempting to minimize flight interruptions while the checks are completed.

Air India Express also announced that it had begun precautionary processes after receiving the alert. The airline noted that while most of its aircraft are unaffected, the global directive could still lead to temporary schedule adjustments, including delays or cancellations.

Air India similarly cautioned passengers about extended turnaround times as parts of its fleet undergo software or hardware realignment, which may affect regular operations.

What Airbus Explained

Airbus clarified that the update is necessary due to a situation highlighted by the recent JetBlue incident, where “intense solar radiation” may have caused data corruption impacting flight control functions. The manufacturer said the software patch must be installed before the affected jets undertake their next routine flight. More than 6,500 aircraft worldwide could fall under this requirement. The A320 lineup is a major competitor to Boeing’s 737 series and is widely used across global commercial aviation.

DGCA’s Instruction to Indian Airlines

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a directive to all operators using A318, A319, A320, and A321 models. The regulator instructed airlines not to operate any aircraft that has not complied with the mandatory modifications outlined in the alert.

The DGCA emphasized that no aircraft falling under the mandatory update criteria should be flown unless it meets all the prescribed requirements. Airlines must confirm compliance as per the procedures in the Airworthiness Manual and ensure their Mandatory Modification lists are fully updated.