A number of UK airlines have been told to carry out a software update on some Airbus 320 aircrafts, threatening to ground some jets. Passengers could face disruption over the next few days after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued the instruction on Friday as a “precautionary action”.
The EASA is the main certifying authority for the A320 family of aircraft. Although not all A320 planes will require the software update, several UK airlines have the aircraft in their fleets so they could be affected, according to the EASA.
It said: “The requirement will mean the airlines flying these aircraft will in some cases have to change software over the days ahead or remain on the ground from Sunday onwards until the software has been changed.
“This action is likely to mean that unfortunately there may be some disruption and cancellations to flights.”
Wizz Air has warned passengers flying with the airline they may face disruption over the weekend as a result of the update.
The carrier said in a statement: “Wizz Air confirms that some of its aircraft are among the more than 6,500 Airbus A320 family aircraft worldwide that require a software update, as recently identified by the aircraft manufacturer.
“Wizz Air has already immediately scheduled the necessary maintenance to ensure full compliance with the identified mitigation. As a result, some flights over the weekend may be affected.
“Passengers who booked directly with Wizz Air via the website or mobile app will be notified of any schedule changes. The safety of our customers, crew, and aircraft is always our number one and overriding priority.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused by circumstances outside of our direct control.”
Giancarlo Buono, Director of Aviation Safety at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We have been made aware of an issue that may affect some of the A320 family of aircraft and the precautionary action that EASA has taken.
“We appreciate the disruption this may cause to some people flying over the coming days. Passengers should check with their airline whether their flights are affected.
“Airlines have a duty of care to look after passengers when a flight is delayed.”
The following airlines have been impacted to varying degrees.
- British Airways
- EasyJet
- Avianca
- American Airlines
- Air India
- Lufthansa
- Wizz Air