New Delhi, Nov 29, India’s aviation sector is witnessing one of its largest temporary fleet groundings, with more than 350 Airbus A320-family aircraft from IndiGo and the Air India Group set to remain out of service for the next 2–3 days. The move follows a DGCA mandatory advisory issued after global safety concerns emerged over the aircraft’s flight control systems.
According to senior aviation officials, the DGCA directive requires immediate compliance with a mandatory modification involving the Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC), referencing EASA Airworthiness Directive 2025-0268-E. The advisory mandates a software update and inspection under ATA 27 (Flight Controls) across A318, A319, A320, and A321 aircraft.
The grounding in India is part of a massive worldwide safety action, with aviation regulators estimating that nearly 6,000 aircraft globally may require checks and updates as part of the urgent Airworthiness Directive.
The global alert was triggered after a JetBlue A320, operating from Cancun to Newark on October 30, 2025, reportedly pitched downward unexpectedly without pilot input, prompting an immediate international review of the aircraft’s flight-control architecture.
Airlines in India are expected to resume normal operations by Monday or Tuesday, depending on the completion of inspections and software updates. Until then, flight operations of affected A320-family aircraft will remain suspended.
A DGCA official said the directive is aimed at ensuring absolute safety in the wake of the recent incident.
“This is a mandatory compliance requirement. No aircraft covered under the directive will be allowed to operate unless it fully meets the updated airworthiness standards,” the official said.
Airlines have begun issuing advisories to passengers about possible delays and cancellations. While the temporary grounding is likely to cause short-term disruptions in domestic and international schedules, authorities emphasised that the decision prioritises passenger safety and long-term fleet reliability.
The DGCA, according to news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC), has instructed all operators to update their Mandatory Modification Lists, notify their engineering teams, and confirm compliance as per Airworthiness Procedure Manual Section-II, Chapter 7.
As India’s largest fleets undergo these urgent checks, the aviation ministry said all efforts are being made to minimise inconvenience to passengers.
