‘No Person Shall Operate…’: Regulator Issues A320 Directive As Air India, IndiGo Warn Of Delays

Last Updated:November 29, 2025, 10:03 IST

The regulator instructed Indian operators to comply strictly with the timelines and procedures specified by EASA, without deviation.

India’s aviation regulator issued an urgent safety directive mandating the inspection and replacement of a key flight-control component across a wide range of Airbus A320-family aircraft operated in the country. The order, released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), requires airlines to carry out immediate action on the Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC), a critical system that governs the aircraft’s pitch and roll functions.

This comes after Air India and IndiGo both warned passengers of delays and extended turnaround times following a technical advisory from Airbus. The DGCA directive follows an emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The regulator instructed Indian operators to comply strictly with the timelines and procedures specified by EASA, without deviation.

Are All Variants Of A320 Family Used In India Covered In Directive?

The order applies to a long list of Airbus models commonly used in Indian commercial aviation, including the A319, A320 and A321 families across both CEO and NEO variants. All serial numbers of these aircraft types fall under the mandatory action, indicating a widespread safety concern and a modification requirement that affects most Indian carriers operating Airbus narrow-body fleets.

What Air India And IndiGo Said?

Air India, in an advisory posted on X (formerly Twitter), said it was aware of the directive from Airbus affecting the in-service A320-family fleet.

“This will result in a software/hardware realignment on a part of our fleet, leading to longer turnaround time and delays to our scheduled operations,” the airline said.

IndiGo confirmed that Airbus had issued a technical advisory for the global A320 fleet and added that it was “proactively completing the mandated updates with full diligence and care, in line with all safety protocols” while warning that some flights may experience schedule changes.

What Is The Technical Concern?

The targeted component- the Elevator Aileron Computer- is part of the aircraft’s Flight Control system (ATA 27) and plays a vital role in ensuring stable and safe flight by managing control-surface movements.

According to the EASA Emergency Airworthiness Directive, the action was triggered after an Airbus A320 experienced an “uncommanded and limited pitch-down event” during flight. The autopilot stayed engaged but investigators found preliminary evidence of a malfunction in the ELAC B L104 unit. EASA warned that if not corrected, the fault could in the worst case lead to “uncommanded elevator movement” severe enough to risk exceeding the aircraft’s structural limits, prompting the mandatory replacement of the affected computer.

The DGCA directive does not specify the exact nature of the technical issue but mandatory replacement orders of this kind typically follow the identification of a potential failure mode that could compromise safe operation, prompting regulators to demand immediate action.

Will Aircraft Be Grounded Until Compliance Is Confirmed?

Yes. The DGCA made it clear that no aircraft covered under the applicability of the directive may operate unless the required inspection or modification has been completed. Airlines have been instructed to notify all relevant operational divisions immediately and to update their Master Mandatory Modification Lists to reflect the new requirement.

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