By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines emerged unscathed from a sweeping Airbus SE recall of 6,000 A320-family jets over a software glitch, even as carriers worldwide scrambled overnight to implement fixes that temporarily grounded aircraft in Asia and Europe and loomed over US travel during the post-Thanksgiving surge.
“PIA has confirmed that its entire A320 fleet is not affected by this Airbus alert. PIA’s Engineering and Maintenance department is closely monitoring their fleet’s airworthiness, ensuring safe operations,” the airline’s spokesperson said in a statement.
The action, among the broadest in Airbus’s 55-year history and covering more than half its global A320 fleet, dealt a setback to the planemaker just weeks after the model eclipsed Boeing Co.’s 737 as the most-delivered narrowbody. It prompted 350 operators to address the issue under regulatory mandates, capping early disruptions but underscoring maintenance strains from labor and parts shortages.
The recall targeted a software update to onboard computers, per the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which flagged potential short-term schedule impacts. Globally, 11,300 A320-family jets are in service, including 6,440 core A320s, with the fix mainly a reversion to earlier software, simple yet essential before flights resume.
Industry sources indicated Airbus has eased concerns by noting fewer hardware changes than anticipated. “It’s not as chaotic as some people might think,” said Brendan Sobie, an Asia-based independent aviation analyst, adding carriers prepare for such events. “But it does create some short-term headaches for operations.”
Low-cost European carrier Wizz Air Holdings Plc completed overnight updates on all affected jets, anticipating no further issues. AirAsia Group, a top A320 user, targeted completion within 48 hours via round-the-clock engineering. In India, regulators identified 338 impacted aircraft, with fixes due by Sunday. IndiGo reset 160 of 200 planes, Air India 42 of 113; both flagged delays. Taiwan’s authority mandated inspections on roughly two-thirds of 67 A320 and A321 jets. Macao directed Air Macau to reschedule minimally for passengers. Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc. axed 95 Saturday flights, hitting 13,500 travelers. ANA and units like Peach Aviation dominate Japan’s A320s, unlike Boeing-heavy Japan Airlines Co. South Korea eyed Sunday morning completion for 42 aircraft upgrades. Asiana Airlines Inc. expected little disruption; Korean Air Lines Co. worked on 10 jets. Hong Kong’s HK Express upgraded over half its fleet, maintaining normal operations.
American Airlines Group Inc., the largest A320 operator, pared its count to 209 of 480 jets needing fixes, most slated for Saturday completion. Delta Air Lines Inc., JetBlue Airways Corp., and United Airlines Holdings Inc. also rank high globally. Germany’s Deutsche Lufthansa AG and UK’s EasyJet Plc scheduled repairs. Middle East’s Air Arabia PJSC pledged measures. Colombia’s Avianca suspended sales through December 8, with over 70% fleet hit. Flight data from Cirium and FlightAware showed moderate delays at most airports. Sources linked the recall to an October 30 JetBlue flight from Cancun to Newark that dropped sharply, injuring at least 15 passengers — some hospitalized — and diverting to Tampa.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury expressed regret for “significant logistical challenges and delays.” In a Saturday LinkedIn message: “Our teams are working around the clock to support our operators and ensure these updates are deployed as swiftly as possible to get planes back in the sky and resume normal operations, with the safety assurance you expect from Airbus.” France-headquartered Airbus, registered in the Netherlands, vies with Boeing in single-aisle jets. The A320 family, including mid-2010s neo updates, leads sales, per its website. Mike Stengel of AeroDynamic Advisory termed it the 737’s chief competitor.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
