Flights canceled or delayed worldwide this weekend after emergency recall of thousands of A320s / List of affected airlines

Dozens of flights have been canceled since Friday evening and dozens more are expected to be delayed or canceled at stops around the world this weekend, after Airbus said it was requesting an immediate software update for “a significant number” of A320 family aircraft, according to Reuters.

More than 6,000 A320s have been immediately recalled by Airbus, Europe's largest aircraft manufacturer, after a recent incident involving an A320 family aircraft showed that intense solar radiation can corrupt data critical to the operation of flight control systems.

The fix mainly involves going back to a previous software version, but it must be done before the planes can fly again, according to a bulletin sent to the airlines and consulted by Reuters, quoted by News.ro.

This could lead to cancellations or delays during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, in the United States and globally.

List of affected airlines

American Airlines

The world's largest A320 operator has announced that around 340 of its 480 A320 aircraft need to be upgraded. The company estimates most of the upgrades will be completed by Saturday, taking about two hours for each plane.

The German carrier expects few cancellations or delays over the weekend, as the implementation of the measures recommended by Airbus takes several hours for each plane.

Avianca

The Colombian company stated that the measure affects over 70% of its fleet, inevitably causing “significant” disruptions to operations over the next 10 days. Avianca has suspended ticket sales for scheduled flights until December 8.

Wizz Air

Some of Wizz Air's aircraft require a software update, the company announced, adding that it has immediately scheduled the necessary maintenance for compliance.

Three of the British carrier's short-haul A320 aircraft are affected, but the company does not expect any operational impact.

The airline Wizz Air, which operates flights to and from Romania, announced on Friday evening that some of its flights this weekend may be affected.

“Wizz Air confirms that some of its aircraft are among the more than 6,500 Airbus A320 family aircraft worldwide that require a software update, as recently identified by their manufacturer. Wizz Air has already immediately scheduled the necessary maintenance activities to ensure full compliance with the identified corrective measures. As a result, some flights this weekend may be affected,” the airline operator announced in a press release, stating that passengers who reservations made directly through the website or in the company's mobile application will be notified of any changes to the schedule, according to Digi24.ro.

easyJet

The company said it has completed software updates on many of the planes that required the intervention and plans to operate a normal flight schedule on Saturday.

Air France

The company canceled 35 flights on Friday, following the Airbus communication.

Air New Zealand

The carrier said all its A320neo aircraft will receive a software update before the next flight, which will disrupt several flights on Saturday. Also, some cancellations are expected.

Air India

The company announced that Airbus directives will require a software/hardware realignment for part of the fleet, which will lead to longer turnaround times and operational delays.

Air India Express

The low-cost subsidiary said that while most planes would not be affected, the recommendations apply to global operators, causing delays and cancellations.

Indigo

The Indian low-cost carrier said it is proactively completing the required updates, but that some flights may experience “small schedule changes” as it implements the “precautionary updates”.

Volaris

The Mexican company announced that the Airbus update will cause flight delays and cancellations in the next 48-72 hours.

Latam Airlines

The update applies to a limited number of the company's aircraft in Colombia, Chile and Peru. The fleets in Brazil and Ecuador are not affected.

Turkish Airlines

Eight A320 aircraft will be returned to service after the implementation of the necessary measures. “All our operations continue safely and without interruption,” the company said.

Viva

The Mexican company announced that the fleet will be affected by the Airbus software update, but no time frame has yet been set for the return to operation.

Delta Airlines

The American carrier expects the operational impact of the Airbus directive to be limited.

Aer Lingus

The Irish company said only a small number of aircraft were affected and that it was taking steps to complete the installation of the required software. It does not anticipate significant disruptions.

United Airlines

The company, which operates A320 family aircraft, said it was not affected by Airbus' announcement.

Azul SA

The Brazilian carrier said none of its A320s are included in the Airbus recall.

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