Airbus CEO issues apology after A320 fixes trigger major flight disruptions

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury has issued a public apology after technical fixes required on certain A320 aircraft caused widespread logistical delays across airlines since Friday (November 28).

In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Faury acknowledged the disruptions faced by carriers and passengers, stressing that the safety of Airbus aircraft remains the company’s top priority.

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"The fix required on some A320 aircraft has been causing significant logistical challenges and delays since yesterday," he wrote. “I want to sincerely apologise to our airline customers and passengers who are impacted now. But we consider that nothing is more important than safety when people fly on one of our Airbus aircraft — like millions do every day.”

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He added that Airbus teams are “working around the clock” to support operators and deploy the necessary updates as quickly as possible to return affected aircraft to service.

Airbus issues major recall

The statement follows Airbus’ announcement on Friday ordering an immediate software update for a large portion of its A320 family fleet. According to industry sources, the directive covers around 6,000 aircraft—more than half of all A320 jets flying worldwide.

The recall was prompted by a recent incident involving an A320 in which intense solar radiation was found to potentially corrupt data critical to the aircraft’s flight control systems. Airbus said the discovery necessitated urgent action to ensure continued operational safety.

"Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers," the company said.

Airbus A320 recall in UAE

In light of the recent developments, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed that the safety inspections and required maintenance on Airbus A320 aircraft are underway.

“Following the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regarding the worldwide Airbus A320 fleet, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirms that safety inspections and required maintenance on A320 aircraft operated by UAE national carriers are currently underway,” the GCAA told Khaleej Times in a statement on Saturday.

The aviation UAE regulator GCAA emphasised that it is “closely coordinating with EASA and all concerned operators to ensure full compliance with airworthiness and safety requirements.”

Elizabeth Gonzales

elizabeth@khaleejtimes.com

Elizabeth Gonzales is a Digital Journalist who loves writing about the expat life — and ways to make the most of it. When she's not looking for new hacks to share with readers, you may find her giving them a real laugh at one of her stand-up comic events.