You might think there are just a couple of questions to address here. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Can the global Airbus A320 recall affect your travel to UAE plans? Has any UAE airline taken any significant steps to bring back their operations back to normal? Should you be planning a trip to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah as the busy Christmas and NYE periods approach? Basically, there is a lot to ponder about and you need to pay attention.
These all started on Saturday as airlines in the UAE and other parts of the globe raced to fix an issue on Airbus A320 jets, after a partial recall by the European manufacturer. It is estimated that some 6,000 aircraft are part of this recall. You could definitely imagine the scale of disruption this recall must have brought to flight operations in different countries. The timing of this recall is also quite significant as it comes amid a busy holiday season.
Take Dubai, for example. The Dubai International Airport (DXB) is expecting such a huge rush this peak travel season that it has issued a set of recommendations. Different airlines are also asking their passengers to understand the kind of rush expected on the road and at the airports, and reach their departure gates on time. In such busy periods, the ongoing Airbus A320 recall is definitely putting up a lot of questions among travellers planning international trips in the near future. It is time to delve deeper into this crisis and see its scale of impact on UAE airlines.
What happened: the global Airbus A320 recall
One thing remains constant in all of this: passenger safety. Be it Airbus or different airlines across the globe, all the entities are rushing to meet all the safety parameters in time amid a really busy travel season.
The global Airbus A320 recall instruction matters for up to 6,000 aircraft. The manufacturer has identified a potential risk in flight-control computers because of high solar radiation. Rolling out the fix could cause delays extending from just hours to multiple days, leading to different carriers issuing public notices for their passengers.
Some aircraft needed software updates, requiring some hours to complete. But some aircraft could be needing more invasive hardware changes, potentially causing delays of several days as the jets remain out of service. So far, the recall has affected the A320 family. But are other groups of aircraft from Airbus, such as A330, A340, A350 and A380 going to be affected? Let’s first understand the status of UAE airlines, such as Emirates, flydubai, Etihad and Air Arabia, in relation to this issue. Are they back to normal or have they not been affected in the first place?
What is the exact number of A320s affected – global scale and UAE concerns
Airbus has yet to put an exact number on the A320s affected by the recent recall. Nonetheless, data shared by Cirium highlights that UAE airlines are operating 106 aircraft from the family. The national airline, Etihad, operates 39 Airbus A320 family aircraft. Air Arabia and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, on the other hand, operate 67. This means UAE airlines are sizeably affected by the some 6,000 Airbus aircraft recently recalled. But don’t be concerned, please. I’m going to take you through all that different UAE airlines have done to bring back their operations to normal (yes, spoiler alert: UAE flight operations are more or less no longer affected by the recall).
What the Airbus A320 recall means for UAE airlines
The global Airbus A320 recall makes it necessary for hundreds of aircraft to make some serious software and hardware changes. These procedures can take from just hours to days, so travel disruptions this holiday season are happening. Let me give you one example. Thanksgiving travel disruptions in the US definitely made some headlines recently as American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines and more had to race to ensure their flights are fit to operate. Flight operations in Europe also got affected but things are almost back to normal.
Naturally, different UAE airlines, such as Etihad and Air Arabia, also had to make the required changes as soon as possible to minimise the amount of travel disruptions during a pretty hectic period for the country. The combination of UAE National Day holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and NYE definitely sounds extremely beautiful. But the Airbus A320 recall churned up some disruptions (to ensure passenger safety), which thankfully, could be taken care by the UAE airlines in a matter of hours.
But more importantly, the timing of this recall is definitely significant. There are a lot of incredible things to do in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Emirates during this time. Starting from Thanksgiving turkey roasts and UAE National Day fireworks to Christmas tree lighting ceremonies and NYE parties, there is a lot happening in the UAE and tourists from across the globe are flocking to the country to make the best of these offerings. If you ask me, you should not be hesitant (at all) about planning your trip to the UAE amid this Airbus A320 issue. UAE airlines ‘had been’ affected by the recent update but since then, things are back to normal.
What is the latest update?
If you are already here, is this question still relevant, because you must have already got a brief idea about the latest status of UAE airlines affected by the Airbus A320 recall? Let’s delve deeper. So far, it appears no Etihad or Air Arabia flights are facing any delays anymore.
The UAE’s national airline, Etihad, had 39 of its aircraft affected. But it rapidly ensured all the updates are made and has confirmed that its A320 operations are back to normal flight schedule. It has been reported that Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi noted minimal disruptions during one of the busiest travel seasons in the UAE.
Let’s come to Air Arabia and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, next. The airline operating flights from both Abu Dhabi and Sharjah had to carry out mandatory software and technical updates. Soon after, Air Arabia confirmed the ‘successful completion of the update across all affected aircraft’.
Long story short, you don’t need to cancel or postpone your UAE plans at all. The affected airlines are back to their prior schedules (but in a much better and safer form). Get your visa scene sorted, pack your bags and board that flight for a journey of a lifetime. The UAE is not going to disappoint you in its tourism offerings.
What passengers should check before getting to the airport?
UAE airlines are no longer affected by the global Airbus A320 recall. Carriers like Etihad and Air Arabia have made all the necessary changes. But the same isn’t true for other airlines operating in other parts of the globe. Some airlines have their aircraft getting hardware changes – something that could take multiple days. This means, delays and cancellations are still possible. Therefore, before getting to the airport, get the latest status of your flight from your airline itself. You can also monitor their app, social media platforms and other sites for more updates.
Next, do not panic. The global Airbus A320 recall is meant to ensure your safety. No accidents are directly connected to the solar radiation issue I had mentioned earlier. Therefore, do not be extremely concerned or panicked. Most of the A320 aircraft needing software updates are already back to their usual operations. But dozens of older planes require some significant hardware replacements, therefore, cannot operate for a certain number of days.
What could be the broader implications for Airbus aircraft operators?
The recent Airbus recall has affected the A320 family only. Other groups of aircraft from Airbus, such as A330, A340, A350 and A380 are not part of this update. But are they going to be affected? There is no update on this, for the moment.
There are a couple of extremely significant airlines operating at Dubai International Airport (DXB) – Emirates and flydubai. Their operations are not accepted because of the recent recall as Emirates fleet relies more on other Airbus aircraft types and flydubai predominantly operates Boeing 737s (so less direct exposure). Coming to Emirates fleet, one of the largest international airlines operates A350, A380, Boeing 777 and Emirates Executive in private jets. Therefore, do not be skeptical to travel to Dubai to indulge in all the latest festive season offerings. Your experience is going to be much more magical than you currently expect it to be.
Long Story Short
The recent global Airbus A320 recall definitely brought some significant travel disruptions in different countries. Different UAE airlines also got affected, though the impact has been less serious as all of the planes needed software updates only. Nonetheless, since dozens of aircraft are recalled for hardware changes, you can expect some disruptions to continue for some days until the replacement procedures are complete. Make sure to get the latest updates from your airline (using the app, site and social media platforms) before getting to the airport. Lastly, travel to UAE this festive season for all the charm and glamour. From Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, Ras al Khaimah and other Emirates, different places are planning different events for the peak travel season. You cannot miss this experience at all costs.
Global Airbus A320 recall: Frequently asked questions
1. What exactly is the issue related to Airbus A320?
The global Airbus A320 recall comes after a JetBlue A320 incident from October 2025. During that time, a plane from Mexico to the US experienced some serious reduction in altitude. The flight had to make an emergency landing in a different US airport and multiple passengers sustained minor injuries. Probes found that intense solar radiation could corrupt data in a key flight-control system. Ultimately, Airbus had to mandate updates for passenger safety.
2. What is the number of A320 jets accepted globally – and in the UAE?
Airbus is yet to quantify the affected fleet size. But some 6,000 flights are part of the recent Airbus A320 recall. In the UAE, 106 aircraft had to make mandatory software updates, including 67 Air Arabia and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi planes and 39 Etihad planes.
3. Which UAE airlines operate A320s and are impacted by the recall?
Etihad and Air Arabia had to make necessary changes to their planes in operation. But since then, the airlines have confirmed that the updates are made and things are back to normal. Emirates and flydubai flights are not affected by the recall.
4. What are the required fixes – software, hardware or both?
Both. But a good majority of Airbus A320s had to make software updates, needing just a handful of hours. But dozens of older planes need hardware replacements, something that could take multiple days. You can expect travel disruptions to continue for some time.
5. Have UAE airlines already completed the updates?
Yes. The affected UAE airlines, Etihad and Air Arabia, have made all the necessary software updates to their flights in operation. Zayed International Airport had to see some minimal disruptions during the time.
6. What should I do if I have a flight booked on a UAE airline?
Just sit back and relax. I’m not kidding. UAE airlines are no longer affected by the global Airbus A320 recall. Therefore, if you are planning to travel to UAE or your flight tickets are already booked, do not cancel or postpone. There is a lot happening in the UAE this month and the next. Make sure to be part of these experiences at all costs.
7. Is the recall limited to Airbus A320s?
So far, Airbus has mandated updates for some 6,000 of its planes from the A320 family. Only time can tell if other planes from Airbus are also going to be affected, such as A330, A340, A350 and A380. One of the largest international airlines, the Dubai-based Emirates could be affected if A350 or A380 are recalled.
8. Will flights be cancelled or delayed because of the recall?
The global Airbus A320 recall is going to affect some planes for multiple days. UAE airlines, such as Etihad and Air Arabia, are no longer affected. But that doesn’t mean that other airlines in other parts of the globe are no longer impacted. You can expect some travel disruptions and cancellations for some days. Keep an eye out for all the updates from your airline.
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