New Delhi: More than half of the Indian airlines’ A320 family aircraft affected by a mandatory software update have now completed the required modifications, according to new data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
A total of 338 A320-series aircraft across multiple carriers were flagged for an urgent software upgrade linked to a potential vulnerability in the jets’ flight-control systems. As of 10 a.m. on November 29, updates had been successfully installed on 189 aircraft, leaving the remainder to be completed before the November 30, 5:29 a.m. deadline.
The issue came to light after Airbus warned operators worldwide that intense solar radiation could corrupt certain data essential to flight control functions in A320-family jets. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) subsequently issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, prompting aviation authorities globally—including the DGCA—to mandate immediate corrective action.
While no flights have been cancelled, sources within the aviation sector confirmed that some services are experiencing delays of 60 to 90 minutes as aircraft undergo upgrades during ground time. Airlines have been adjusting schedules and reallocating aircraft to minimise disruption.
The DGCA on Saturday issued its own Airworthiness Directive, instructing Indian carriers to carry out the software installation without delay. The directive covers all variants of the A320 family in India, including A320ceo, A320neo, A321ceo and A321neo aircraft.
Operators impacted include IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express, which collectively manage the country’s largest narrow-body fleet.
With the compliance deadline just hours away, aviation regulators and airline engineering teams continue to work round-the-clock to ensure that the remaining aircraft are updated and cleared for uninterrupted operations.
