PIA Confirms Its Fleet Remains Safe Amid Global Airbus A320 Software Issue

Several countries were forced to cancel flights after a software malfunction was detected in thousands of Airbus A320 aircraft worldwide. The issue raised concerns across the aviation sector, triggering precautionary measures by multiple operators.

In response, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) clarified that none of its aircraft were affected by the fault. The airline assured passengers that operations remain uninterrupted. According to PIA, “its aircraft are not affected by this malfunction and all flights will continue as normal.”

Airbus had earlier advised grounding A320 family aircraft due to a potential risk linked to a specific software version. Explaining why its fleet remained unaffected, a PIA spokesperson stated that the particular software version “ELAC-L 104, which was required to be updated immediately, was not installed in any PIA aircraft.” For this reason, PIA affirmed that its fleet is fully secure and flight operations will continue without disruption.

Reassuring travelers, PIA emphasized that “all its A320 aircraft are safe, the flight schedule will not be affected, and the national airline will continue to provide better and safer services to passengers as always.”

Airbus recently disclosed that approximately 6,000 A320-family aircraft have been impacted by a software flaw that could interfere with altitude-calculation systems. The issue came to light in October after a JetBlue aircraft in the United States unexpectedly lost altitude, forcing an emergency landing that left fifteen passengers injured.

According to Airbus, the malfunction was later linked to intense solar radiation affecting onboard computer data. The manufacturer explained that most aircraft require only a quick software update, while around 900 jets will need computer replacements and must remain grounded until the process is completed.

Meanwhile, PTI has separately announced a plan to block the Swabi Motorway, though this development remains unrelated to the aviation issue.