Airbus recalls around 6,000 A320s
Airlines scramble to fix A320 flight controls issue
The emergency airworthiness directive mandating immediate changes to the elevator aileron computer (ELAC) on around 6,000 A320 and A320neo family aircraft has caused disruptions as airlines scramble to fix the issue by the November 30, 2025, deadline.
The aircraft types have not been grounded. A320 operations continue on aircraft that either have had a serviceable ELAC (re)installed, or did not have the potentially malfunctioning system in the first place. ch-aviation understands that the issue requires a hardware fix on older A320ceo family aircraft, and a software update on newer units.
The software fix - essentially a reverse of a recent update - can take a maximum of few hours and be administered between flights. Tyrone Simes, the chief pilot at Jetstar Airways, told Radio New Zealand that the changes were similar to routine maintenance checks, just on a larger scale and with unplanned urgency.
The urgent EAD issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Administration (EASA) on November 28, 2025, nonetheless forced airlines to take immediate corrective action, causing disruption varying in intensity.
One of the most significant reaction came from avianca airlines, which operates 136 A320ceo and A320neo family aircraft across its AOCs. The airline closed ticket sales until December 8 to account for the "significant operational disruptions [that] will inevitably occur over the next 10 days".
American Airlines, the world's largest operator of Airbus narrowbodies, initially said the issue affected around 340 of its aircraft. However, after further clarifications from the manufacturer, the number was revised down to 209. The airline expects to complete nearly all upgrades on November 29, with some due on November 30. ch-aviation data shows it operates 485 Airbus narrowbodies.
IndiGo Airlines, which has 364 A320ceo and A320neo family aircraft, said around 200 of these were affected, but nearly all upgrades were done by the morning on November 29. "No flights have been cancelled as a result of these checks," the Indian LCC said in a statement.
Wizz Air, which operates 246 potentially affected aircraft across its three AOCs, said that all necessary fixes were made by the morning of November 29.
Turkish Airlines, which operates 177 Airbus narrowbodies, told ch-aviation that only eight of its aircraft were affected and checked on November 29.
Multiple other operators of the A320 and A320neo aircraft reported limited flight cancellations, with most ELAC fixes done overnight on November 28-29, 2025.
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