Multiple airlines report impact from A320 family recall affecting hundreds of aircraft

Airbus has ordered urgent software reversion on 6,000 A320-family jets, affecting more than half of the global fleet and disrupting operations for multiple airlines during one of the busiest US travel weekends.

The directive requires operators to revert to a previous software version before resuming operations, according to a company statement reviewed by Reuters.

Airlines have responded with a mix of flight cancellations, delays, and temporary fleet groundings as they implement the fix.

Air France cancelled 35 flights, while ANA Holdings suspended 65 services on Saturday. Air India, with 113 affected aircraft, completed fixes on 42 and anticipates some delays.

The American Airlines fleet requiring correction was reduced from 340 to 209, with operational delays expected rather than cancellations.

Avianca reported over 70% of its fleet was affected, leading to significant operational interruptions and a halt in ticket sales until December 8.

IndiGo completed updates on 143 out of 200 affected jets but warned of residual delays. Wizz Air stated all impacted aircraft underwent overnight updates and did not expect further disruptions.

Other operators, including Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, LATAM, Turkish Airlines, United, flynas, and Viva, reported varying levels of impact ranging from minor delays to limited cancellations. Several carriers noted only a small number of aircraft required fixing or that disruptions would be temporary.

The recall comes as airlines worldwide manage high passenger volumes and limited fleet flexibility. The A320 family is currently the world’s most popular commercial jet, surpassing the Boeing 737, and had already been experiencing operational restrictions in the A320neo series, which is equipped with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, due to design problems.

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