Over 90 per cent of Air India A320 fleet reset, operations continue with minimal disruption
New Delhi, November 30
Air India has successfully addressed glitches in over 90 per cent of its operating A320 family aircraft impacted by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Airbus' requirement for a software realignment, the airline said in a statement on Sunday.
In a post on X, Air India said, "Air India has successfully completed the reset on over 90 percent of its operating A320 family aircraft that were impacted by EASA and Airbus' requirement for a software realignment. We expect to cover the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA, with safety remaining our top priority."
The airline added that its engineering and ground teams worked round the clock to ensure there were no cancellations and minimal impact on flight schedules.
"Rising to the occasion, our engineering and ground colleagues worked round the clock to ensure there were no cancellations and that the impact on our schedule integrity across the network was minimal," the statement read.
"We thank our guests for their patience and support, and request those flying with us to continue checking the latest flight status at https://airindia.com/in/en/manage/flight-status.html or contact our 24x7 Call Centre at 011-69329333 / 011-69329999 before heading to the airport," Air India further added.
Earlier, following concerns about a safety risk posed by the Airbus A320's software update, Air India Express on Saturday said it had completed safety checks on most of its fleet, with the remaining checks to be completed soon.
The airline worked with Airbus and authorities to minimise disruptions, prioritising passenger safety. Operations are expected to return to normal once the checks are complete.
In a statement, an Air India Express Spokesperson said, "We have completed the precautionary safety actions on the majority of our Airbus A320 fleet, with the remaining aircraft on track for completion within the advised timeline. This has been achieved with minimal impact on operations through the coordinated efforts of our engineering, operations, and flight safety teams. Air India Express continues to work closely with Airbus and the relevant authorities, reaffirming our commitment to safe and reliable operations."
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury on Saturday apologised to customers and passengers affected by delays caused by a required fix on some A320 aircraft.
Faury emphasised that safety is the top priority and assured that teams are working around the clock to implement the updates and return planes to service.
"The fix required on some #A320 aircraft has been causing significant logistical challenges and delays since yesterday. I want to sincerely apologise to our airline customers and passengers who are impacted now. But we consider that nothing is more important than safety when people fly on one of our Airbus Aircraft, like millions do every day. Our teams are working around the clock to support our operators and ensure these updates are deployed as swiftly as possible to get planes back in the sky and resume normal operations, with the safety assurance you expect from #Airbus," CEO Airbus said in a statement posted on X by the Airbus newsroom.
The fix is being deployed as swiftly as possible to minimise disruptions, and Airbus is supporting operators to ensure normal operations resume as soon as possible.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an airworthiness directive banning the use of multiple Airbus aircraft models following concerns about a safety risk posed by the company's software update.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I had a flight with them yesterday and was worried after hearing the news. Thankfully it was on time. The communication from the airline could have been better though. I only found out about this from news articles, not an email or SMS.
This is why DGCA's role is so crucial. They issued the directive and the airlines had to comply. It's a good example of our regulatory system working to protect passengers. Better safe than sorry, especially when flying.
As a frequent flyer on this route, I appreciate the transparency. The fact that they managed this with "minimal disruption" is impressive. The link to check flight status is helpful. Hope Airbus ensures such glitches are caught earlier in the future.
Kudos to the ground and engineering staff! Working 24/7 to fix planes is no joke. This shows a positive change in work culture at Air India post-privatization. They are taking ownership. Thumbs up! ðŸ‘
The Airbus CEO's apology is noted, but the question is why did this software risk emerge in the first place? These are complex machines carrying hundreds of lives. EASA and Airbus need more rigorous testing protocols before pushing updates globally.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.