Travellers warned as global Airbus 320 recall disrupts Pacific flights

If you’re flying over the next few days, especially between New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific islands, keep a close eye on your flight status.

This is because Airbus has issued an urgent global safety recall affecting around 6000 jets from its A320 family, forcing many airlines to ground the aircraft until they apply software (and in some cases hardware) fixes.

This means that even if flights look booked and scheduled, there might still be cancellations or delays at short notice. For travellers heading into the Christmas/New Year peak, it’s a real risk.

The recall was triggered by a serious incident on 30 October: a jet experienced a sudden, uncommanded drop in altitude mid-flight. Investigators traced the problem to a software bug in a flight-control computer (the “ELAC”).

Airbus, working with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other regulators, issued a worldwide directive on 28 November 2025: "all affected A320-family jets must be updated before they can fly again".

Aviation experts say that for many planes, the fix is a software “rollback,” which takes about two to three hours. But for some older jets, some of the hardware also needs replacing, which could take much longer, depending on the maintenance workload and the availability of parts/engineers.

Air New Zealand says its A320neo fleet is being updated, with some flights disrupted over the weekend. Photo/austway-cargo.com

Globally, this recall affects over half of the roughly 11,300 active A320-family jets. Air New Zealand has confirmed in a statement that its A320neo aircraft will receive the required software update before they are allowed to fly again.

A spokesperson says this will cause “disruption across a number of our A320neo flights" and that some services will be cancelled. Passengers are being contacted directly if their flights are affected, and flight status updates are available on the Air NZ app and website.

The bottom line for travellers is: If your booking is on an Air NZ A320 or A320neo, especially to or from Pacific destinations, double-check for changes, especially in the 24- to 48-hour period after 28 November.

Travellers across New Zealand faced queues, cancelled flights and missed family events. Photo/RNZ/Calvin Samuel

Aircalin (New Caledonia’s main international airline)

Aircalin has announced that its technical teams are “working continuously in close collaboration with Airbus” to install the required software update on its A320 fleet.

A statement from the airline says some flights could not be rescheduled before Monday morning because of the updated work. Affected travellers will be contacted by email or SMS, the airline states, adding that its A330 aircraft are unaffected; only flights using A320s are impacted.

Aircalin flights may still go ahead, the company says, but expect possible delays or reshuffling over the coming days. "Check for messages directly from the airline."

Jetstar Airways (Australia)

Jetstar has grounded 34 of its 85-strong A320 fleet after the recall. The airline cancelled about 90 flights as a result, media reports reveal.

Its chief pilot, Tyrone Simes, told journalists: “We’ve got about 90 flights affected … It is a worldwide issue.” He said most impacted jets would be fixed that same day."

Travellers across the Pacific are being urged to check flight updates as A320 recalls cause scheduling changes. Photo/Facebook/7News

By Sunday (30 November), Jetstar announced all but six affected planes had been updated; remaining flights will resume “as the network recovers", but there may still be “flow-on” delays or cancellations.

Many Jetstar flights are already back but if you had a Jetstar flight booked over the weekend, re-check flight status and be prepared for possible disruptions.

The recall affects more than 6000 A320-family jets worldwide, about half of all the model’s active planes.

Many major international carriers, from the United States to Europe to the Middle East, are reporting rapid completion of their updates.

Some airlines, like Etihad Airways and Air Arabia, say they have “returned to normal” operations after completing the required maintenance.

Despite the scale, the disruption seems to be managed relatively swiftly but the timing is bad: this comes just as many travellers globally begin their year-end holidays.

What travellers should do now?

Check your flight status: Especially if you’re flying with carriers known to use A320s (Air NZ, Aircalin, Jetstar, and many others). Expect possible last-minute changes: Even flights already booked and confirmed may be cancelled or rescheduled as airlines complete software/hardware updates.

Allow extra time at the airport: Ground crews and maintenance teams are under a heavy workload; expect delays, especially at busy airports.

Be flexible: If you can, avoid tight connections, allow buffer time for onward travel, and check travel insurance/refund policies.

Follow official airline communications: Check emails, SMS, or the airline’s app or website for the most up-to-date information.

The queues at Auckland Airport. Photo/1News

What we know and what is not clear:

• Known: The recall affects a very large number of jets globally, including many operating in Australia and the Pacific.

Airlines like Air NZ, Aircalin, and Jetstar have publicly acknowledged the issue and begun implementing the software fixes.

In many cases, repairs are quick but some aircraft will take longer due to hardware replacements.

• Unknown, still changing: For some smaller or remote Pacific carriers, for example, Solomon Airlines, PMN News understands there is no official word about whether their A320s are grounded or have been updated.

It’s not always clear whether a given flight uses an A320/A320neo or a different aircraft type. That can make it harder for passengers to know if their booking is affected.

Because many airlines are rushing to comply, the situation can evolve quickly - some flights marked “on-time today may be cancelled tomorrow" if a particular aircraft hasn’t been cleared yet.

Solomon Airlines operates an A320 and is likely affected by the recall, though the airline has not yet issued a public update. Photo/Australia-Pacific Islands Business Council