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November 29, 2025
Whanau could face significant travel delays as A320 fleet grounded
Waatea Team
Posted On November 29, 2025
Air New Zealand (Air NZ) has temporarily grounded its entire A320neo fleet, cancelling multiple flights, after European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Airbus ordered a global recall of thousands of A320-family jets – including many of those flown by Air NZ.
The recall follows a serious safety alert triggered by an incident on a flight operated by another airline. Investigations revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data in the flight-control system of Airbus A320-family jets – specifically affecting the ELAC (Elevator and Aileron Computer) software that helps control pitch and roll.
In a statement Air NZ has said “Air New Zealand is affected by a global Airbus software update that is required on all A320 aircraft. As a result, we’re experiencing disruption to flights across this fleet.
For customers travelling on an affected A320 route up to and including Tuesday 2 December, we are offering additional flexibility. Customers can make one free change to their booked flight within seven days of their original booking, hold the value of their fare in credit for twelve months, or request a refund if they choose not to travel, including for non refundable fares.
We expect to begin contacting customers, or their travel agents, today to let them know if their flight is likely to be impacted over the coming days. Our contact centre is experiencing very high volumes, so we encourage those travelling to wait for direct communication about their flight, where possible.”
As a precaution, Airbus advised more than 6,000 A320-family aircraft worldwide to undergo a software rollback (or, in some cases, hardware updates) before they can return to passenger service.
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Air NZ said “all A320neo aircraft in our fleet will receive a software update before operating their next passenger service.”
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The grounding forced cancellations across a number of domestic and regional routes – including services to Australia and Pacific Islands, where A320/neo aircraft are regularly deployed.
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Air NZ initially said flights would resume only after the update, but later clarified that aircraft with the outdated software could operate until 1 pm Sunday (NZ time), giving some planes time to complete scheduled journeys before grounding.
Travel across New Zealand has been significantly disrupted. At airports — including the busy hub at Auckland Airport – passengers have reported long queues, last-minute flight cancellations, and hastily arranged alternative itineraries.
Air NZ says it will contact affected passengers directly, and travellers have been urged to check the status of their flights via the Air NZ app or website. The airline is offering flexibility: rebooking, credits or refunds for impacted bookings.
The recall is one of the largest in the history of Airbus’s A320 programme. Around half of all A320-family jets globally – over 6,000 aircraft – are affected. Airlines worldwide are racing to implement software updates before further flights.
Some jets may only require a simple software rollback (a process taking roughly two hours), but in other cases, more extensive hardware modifications might be necessary – increasing the risk of prolonged groundings and delays, especially during a peak travel period.
The situation remains fluid. Air NZ says safety is the top priority, but advises passengers to expect potential disruption for the next few days while updates are rolled out globally.
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