Airbus recalls 6,000 A320s worldwide, possible delays for Indian flyers
29 Nov 2025

Airbus has issued a global safety directive, recalling 6,000 A320-family aircraft for urgent checks.

The decision was taken after an incident where an A320's flight-control computer acted erratically mid-air, causing at least 15 passengers to be injured after a sudden drop in altitude on a Cancun-Newark flight.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) reported that the autopilot was engaged and the aircraft lost a small amount of altitude before stabilizing.

Airbus identifies vulnerability in A320's elevator and aileron computer
Technical analysis

Airbus conducted a technical analysis and found a vulnerability in the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC) of the aircraft.

The ELAC interprets pilot inputs and controls the aircraft's pitch.

During intense solar activity, solar radiation can corrupt data going into this unit, which may lead to uncommanded elevator movement or unintended dips in the aircraft's nose position.

Airbus issues directive for immediate software or hardware measures
Safety directive

In light of its findings, Airbus has issued an Airworthiness Directive and an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT). These documents mandate airlines to implement software or hardware protection measures immediately.

The company admitted that this would cause operational disruption but stressed it was necessary "to ensure the fleet is safe to fly."

Indian airlines begin implementing mandatory fixes
Operational impact

Indian airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, have begun implementing the mandatory fixes, News18 reported.

IndiGo operates around 370 A320-family jets, while Air India has 127, and Air India Express operates about 40.

All three airlines have issued advisories to passengers about possible schedule changes in the coming days due to the recall.

Global airlines face operational strain due to recall
Worldwide impact

The recall is one of the largest in Airbus's history, impacting over half of all A320-family aircraft.

British Airways expects minimal disruption as only a few aircraft are affected. However, American Airlines has around 340 jets needing fixes and hopes to complete updates by the end of the weekend.

Some airlines in Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia have already canceled flights due to this issue.

Passengers advised to monitor flight status amid recall
Travel advisory

Passengers on A320-operated routes may experience delays, rescheduled services, or aircraft swaps as airlines adjust schedules for maintenance.

Indian carriers expect the disruption to be short-lived but advise travelers flying in the next 48-72 hours to keep an eye on flight status updates.

Customer support teams at major airlines are ready to help with any necessary changes due to this recall.