Why Airbus recalled 6,000 A320 jets and how it’s disrupting Asian travel

The recall, affecting around 6,000 jets globally, was triggered by a software glitch linked to the flight-control system that manages elevators and ailerons, key components that help an aircraft climb, descend and turn. Regulators in Europe and the United States instructed airlines to carry out an urgent software modification before the aircraft could return to service, Straits Times reports.

The scale of the recall is one of the largest in Airbus’s 55-year history and affects more than half of all A320-family jets currently flying, including the A319, A320 and A321 models. The aircraft are the backbone of short-haul aviation across Asia, particularly in China and India, where rapid economic growth has fuelled a boom in domestic and regional air travel.

India’s aviation regulator said 338 aircraft in the country were affected. IndiGo, the world’s largest A320 operator, had upgraded 143 of its 200 impacted jets by Friday, while Air India had completed modifications on 42 of its 113 affected planes. Both airlines warned passengers of delays, though they said overall schedules remained largely intact.

Japan also saw some of the worst disruption. ANA Holdings cancelled 65 flights and warned that more could follow, as two-thirds of the country’s A320 fleet required the update. Peach Aviation, its low-cost subsidiary, was also hit. Rival Japan Airlines faced no impact as it does not operate A320s. Nationwide, 95 flights were cancelled.

Across Taiwan, about two-thirds of A320 and A321 aircraft were grounded for checks, while Macao’s regulator instructed Air Macau to adjust flight schedules to limit disruption.

Australian budget carrier Jetstar reported delays at Melbourne airport, while Hong Kong’s HK Express said more than half of its affected aircraft had already been upgraded.