Airline passengers flying from Northern Ireland airports should prepare for possible disruptions due to urgent modifications requested by European aerospace giant Airbus. Approximately 6,000 aircraft globally, all from the A320 family, are affected by this situation, prompting several airlines to adjust their operations.
EasyJet, which operates flights to and from Belfast International and Belfast City Airports, indicated that passengers may experience some disruptions. The airline stated it will “inform customers directly about any changes to our flying programme tomorrow and will do all possible to minimise the impact.” As of Friday night, flights at Belfast International Airport remained unaffected; however, an airport spokesperson urged passengers scheduled to travel on Saturday to check with their airlines for the latest updates.
Aer Lingus confirmed that a limited number of its aircraft are among those impacted and is moving quickly to implement the necessary software installations. The airline assured customers that no significant operational disruptions are anticipated. Meanwhile, Gatwick Airport reported that about 80 aircraft there are also affected, emphasizing that the directive impacts only a small number of airlines operating from the airport. Passengers are advised to reach out to their respective airlines for further details.
In a separate update, Heathrow Airport announced that the required maintenance on certain Airbus aircraft does not currently affect its operations. Airbus has indicated that most of the affected planes can be remedied with a straightforward software update. However, it was noted that around 900 older planes will require replacement computers and will need to be grounded until repairs are completed.
The urgency of the situation stems from a directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which mandates that as of November 29, the affected aircraft can only carry passengers once they have been properly fixed. These planes may still conduct “ferry flights” without passengers to reach maintenance facilities.
As airlines work to implement the necessary changes, passengers are encouraged to stay informed and make adjustments to their travel plans as needed.
