Flight delays expected as mandatory Airbus safety checks set to hit A320 operations

Air India and IndiGo are bracing for operational disruptions over the weekend as mandatory safety checks on Airbus A320 family aircraft temporarily ground large parts of their fleets. The checks, ordered by Airbus and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), require software resets and hardware realignments to address risks linked to corrupted flight-control data caused by solar radiation.

The directive follows an incident involving a JetBlue A320 in the United States on 30 October 2025, which raised concerns about uncommanded elevator movements.

Air India said no flights have been cancelled so far and only minor delays or rescheduling are expected as the airline works through the mandatory resets. The carrier has completed checks on more than 40 per cent of its affected fleet, around 120 to 125 aircraft, and aims to finish within the stipulated timeframe.

IndiGo, which operates the country’s largest A320 fleet with around 370 aircraft, also warned passengers of longer turnaround times and possible schedule changes.

Air India Express, with roughly 40 A320-family aircraft, expects limited impact but has advised travellers to anticipate some adjustments as part of the global compliance process. Nearly 6,000 A320-family aircraft worldwide will undergo the same 2-3 hour procedure before they can return to service.

With the A320 family forming the backbone of India’s domestic aviation network, about 560 such aircraft operate across the country, delays and isolated cancellations remain likely through the weekend. Normal operations are expected to resume by Monday or Tuesday once the global reset cycle concludes.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has instructed airlines to complete the required checks before dispatching any aircraft. Passengers have been advised to monitor airline apps, websites, or contact centres for real-time flight updates, with ground staff on standby to assist with rebooking and itinerary changes.

With agency inputs