Airbus A320 recall: UAE airlines carry out updates with 'minimal' impact

Etihad Airways and Air Arabia have confirmed minimal impact to its operations following software fixes outlined by Airbus for its global A320-series aircraft.

In a statement sent to ARN News, Etihad confirmed that "they have returned to normal scheduled operations following the successful installation of the required Airbus software update across (its) A320 fleet".

The UAE national carrier said the "update was completed quickly and with minimal disruption - despite this being one of the busiest travel periods at Zayed International Airport ahead of the long weekend".

Air Arabia, issuing a statement on social media, said it has "begun implementing the required measures across the impacted aircraft in (its) fleet and expect to complete all updates by the end of today (Saturday)".

"Our teams have worked diligently to ensure minimal impact on our customers throughout this process," the airline added.

In a statement posted on national news agency WAM, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed that safety upgrades on A320 aircraft operated by UAE national carriers are currently underway.

The UAE's aviation regulatory body said it is closely coordinating with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to ensure full compliance with the safety requirements.

Airbus recalled 6,000 planes of its global A320 family fleet after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) directed carriers to complete a software fix on Friday night as a "precautionary action".

The fix mainly involves reverting to earlier software and is relatively simple, but must be carried out before the planes can fly again, according to the bulletin to airlines seen by Reuters.