Airbus flight disruption: Etihad, Air Arabia, Saudia, flynas travel update amid A320 recall

Airlines in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including Etihad, Air Arabia, Saudia and flynas have issued travel updates and statements to passengers as delays and cancellations are expected.

Essential software updates are required to ensure the ongoing safety of passengers and the readiness for travel of the Airbus A320 aircraft.

Airbus A320 recall

As 6,000 jets in the Airbus A320 family have been grounded with the manufacturer saying the recall “will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers”.

A statement from the airline said: “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted”.

Airlines across the Middle East operate a growing number of Airbus planes. Statements from regional carriers identify their response to the flight disruptions to a busy travel period.

Etihad Airways Airbus update

UAE carrier Etihad Airways operates multiple A320 planes across its expanding fleet. Despite being impacted by the recall it said normal operations were quickly resumed.

In a statement, the Abu Dhabi-based airline said: “Etihad Airways flights have returned to normal scheduled operations following the successful installation of the required Airbus software update across our A320 fleet.

“Thanks to the exceptional efforts of our operational and technical teams, the update was completed quickly and with minimal disruption—despite this being one of the busiest travel periods at Zayed International Airport ahead of the long weekend. We appreciate the professionalism of our teams across the network and thank our guests for their patience and understanding. Safety remains Etihad’s highest priority, and we are pleased to have restored regular services swiftly.”

Air Arabia Airbus update

Air Arabia will see delays and remains committed to safety as it works to update its A320 aircraft. In a statement, the ariline said: “We confirm that we have received the directive issued by Airbus concerning the A320 aircraft type operated by airlines worldwide, which requires a number of aircraft to undergo specific software and technical updates. 

“In line with this advisory, we have begun implementing the required measures across the impacted aircraft in our fleet and expect to complete all updates by the end of today. Our teams have worked diligently to ensure minimal impact on our customers throughout this process.

“We regret any inconvenience this may have caused some of our customers, as we remain fully committed to ensuring the highest safety standards”.

Flynas Airbus update

Saudi carrier flynas said it expects delays as it updates software on its Airbus A320 fleet.

In a statement on social media, flynas said: “We would like to inform you that we have received a directive from Airbus regarding the A320 aircraft currently operating with several airlines worldwide. Accordingly, a software and technical recalibration will be carried out on part of our fleet, which would result in longer turnaround times between limited number of flights and some delays in our operating schedule.

“We also would like to note that guests whose flights may be affected will be contacted via SMS or email, and they can monitor their flight status directly through our website. We apologise to our valued guests for any inconvenience, and we reaffirm that these measures are taken as part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety”.

Saudia Airbus update

Saudia is another Middle East carrier impacted by the Airbus safety recall.

In a statement it said that based on the global safety directives issued by Airbus regarding the A320 aircraft fleet worldwide, it is reviewing and monitoring the updates received and assessing any potential impact on flight schedules.

Saudia will contact passengers directly if the updates require any adjustments and urged customers to ensure contact information is updated and to monitor incoming notifications. It added that “the safety of guests and crew members always remains a top priority”.

Airbus statement

Airbus said: “Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly.

“This AOT will be reflected in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

“Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority”.