Air New Zealand Plans to Resume A320 Flights After Software Update

Air New Zealand anticipates that its grounded fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft will return to service by this evening following a global software issue. The airline experienced significant disruptions yesterday, leading to long delays for travelers at airports. The situation arose after an international recall notice was issued, requiring a software update for the A320 planes.

Nathan McGraw, Air New Zealand’s Chief Safety and Risk Officer, stated that the airline has made substantial progress in implementing the necessary updates across its A320 fleet. “We expect all affected aircraft to be updated and back in service by this evening,” McGraw said. During this period, the airline anticipates approximately 20 cancellations over the weekend, but operations should return to normal by Monday.

Passengers are urged to check the Air New Zealand app or website for the latest flight information. To accommodate those affected, McGraw announced that customers traveling on impacted A320 routes up to and including December 2, 2023, may make one free change within seven days of their original travel date, hold their fare value in credit for twelve months, or request a refund, including options for non-refundable fares.

McGraw expressed appreciation for the efforts of the airline’s engineering and operations teams in addressing the situation. Both Air New Zealand and Jetstar, the country’s two primary domestic airlines, grounded planes in response to the software fault on Saturday.

Witnesses at Auckland Airport described chaotic scenes as travelers faced cancellations. One passenger, who was supposed to fly with Jetstar, recounted a “stampede” when the cancellation announcement was made, leading to confusion as people rushed to rebook their flights.

The disruption is linked to a global software issue identified by Airbus, which acknowledged that the fault has caused “significant logistical challenges and delays.” Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, emphasized the company’s commitment to safety and expressed his apologies to affected passengers and airline customers.

On Friday, Airbus warned of potential travel disruptions due to upgrades required for around 6,000 operational A320 aircraft after an incident involving a JetBlue flight on October 30, 2023. The European aircraft manufacturer advised clients to take “immediate precautionary action” following an evaluation of the incident, which involved in-flight control issues.

According to Airbus, “intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls,” indicating that a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in service could be affected. The faulty software, known as the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC), is manufactured by Thales, a major aerospace and defense company.

Airbus acknowledged that the required updates would lead to operational disruptions for passengers and customers, apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the situation.

As the airline industry continues to navigate these challenges, the swift response from both Air New Zealand and Airbus highlights the importance of safety and the need for effective communication with passengers during periods of disruption.