Paris/New Delhi | November 30, 2025 :
Air travel across continents plunged into chaos after Airbus grounded nearly 6,000 A320-family aircraft worldwide on November 29, 2025, following the discovery of a dangerous flight-control software malfunction that could issue incorrect thrust commands during takeoff.
The emergency action came after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) flagged a major flaw in the Engine Alliance GP7200-linked control software, tied to a 2024 firmware update that aviation technicians reportedly overlooked during routine inspections.
Airlines Struggle as Cancellations Cross 1,000
More than one thousand flights were cancelled, affecting millions of passengers globally:
India: IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express completed 80% of required updates across 338 grounded jets, yet airports in Delhi and Mumbai saw massive delays.
US: Delta and American Airlines recorded 200+ disruptions.
Europe: Ryanair received backlash for late passenger notifications.
Airbus CEO Issues Public Apology
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury, speaking in Paris, admitted the software flaw “should have been caught earlier” and confirmed repair costs exceeding €500 million. All aircraft must comply by December 5, he added.
Economic Toll & Safety Debate
IMF analysts estimate the grounding may cut 0.1% from global Q4 GDP growth, while airline insurance claims are expected to surpass $2 billion.
India’s DGCA fined non-compliant airlines ₹10 lakh each, insisting on daily safety updates.
The crisis has revived concerns about aviation software oversight, drawing comparisons to the Boeing 737 MAX grounding of 2019, and intensifying demands for unified global aircraft software certification standards.
