A major safety directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has temporarily grounded nearly 6,000 Airbus A320 aircraft globally, after investigators flagged a potentially dangerous malfunction in a critical flight-control computer. The emergency airworthiness order means nearly half of the world’s A320 fleet, the most widely used passenger aircraft, will require a software or hardware fix before returning to full operation.
What Went Wrong?
In its directive, EASA revealed that an A320 recently experienced an uncommanded pitch-down movement while cruising. Despite the autopilot staying engaged, the aircraft momentarily lost altitude before stabilising, and the rest of the flight continued normally.
A preliminary assessment by Airbus found the likely cause: a malfunction in the Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC) the system that interprets pilot inputs and controls the aircraft’s pitch and roll through the wings and tail.
EASA warned that unless corrected, the fault could lead to sudden elevator movements, potentially stressing the aircraft beyond safe structural limits.
The Incident That Triggered the Global Alert
The software review was prompted by an incident on October 30, involving a JetBlue A320 flying from Cancun to Newark. While cruising at 35,000 feet, the aircraft suddenly pitched nose-down without pilot input, forcing an emergency diversion to Tampa.
Investigators discovered the cause:
A glitch within the ELAC system, possibly triggered by intense solar radiation, which corrupted critical bits of information in the newly updated software.
Following this, Airbus advised all operators to take “immediate precautionary action.”
How the Fix Will Be Implemented
The fix depends on aircraft version:
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Older A320 variants → require physical replacement of the ELAC computer
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Newer A320 variants → will receive a software update
According to industry sources, most updates will take a few hours, but for roughly 1,000 aircraft, the process could take several weeks.
Operators have been cautioned that the fix could temporarily affect flight schedules.
Indian Airlines Begin Repairs
After EASA issued its alert, India’s DGCA ordered all domestic airlines operating A320 family aircraft to complete the fix before further deployment.
Here’s how Indian carriers are affected:
IndiGo
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200 aircraft impacted
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143 already updated
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No reported delays
Air India
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113 aircraft affected
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42 aircraft updated so far
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No flight cancellations reported
Air India Express
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25 aircraft affected
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4 aircraft updated so far
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8 flights delayed due to the fix
Airlines anticipate completing all updates by Sunday evening, with engineers working around the clock.
Air India stated:
“Safety is top priority. We are complying fully with Airbus and EASA directives.”
