New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued a new update as global flight operations continue to face disruptions due to a software issue in Airbus A320 aircraft.

According to the regulator, a total of 338 flights in India have been affected by the problem.

DGCA said that out of these 338 flights, 270 have already completed the required software update and are now cleared to resume commercial operations. The issue emerged after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ordered a global software upgrade for all Airbus A320 aircraft.

The update is needed in the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC), a crucial part of the aircraft’s flight control system. EASA identified the “ELAC B L104” units as the source of the vulnerability, leading to the worldwide directive that is set to impact nearly 6,000 flights.

Earlier in the day, Indian airlines such as IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express warned passengers about possible delays due to the mandatory update. However, DGCA has now confirmed that more than half of all A320 aircraft operating in India have already completed the software fix.

IndiGo has been the most affected, with 200 of its aircraft requiring the update. By 12 noon today, 160 of those aircraft had already completed the process, and the airline has not cancelled any flights so far.

Air India had 113 aircraft impacted, and 42 of them have successfully undergone the software upgrade. Air India Express had 25 aircraft affected, but only four have been updated at this stage.

While Air India has also avoided flight cancellations, Air India Express has faced delays. The airline confirmed that eight of its flights have been delayed due to the ongoing software updates, making it the worst affected among Indian carriers.

DGCA said it is closely monitoring the situation to ensure smooth operations across the country’s airports.

–IANS

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