Philippine Airlines completes mandatory Airbus software upgrade
Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said it has fully complied with the software update directive from Airbus and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC) on all affected aircraft.
The mandatory upgrade, prompted by a global safety advisory that warned intense solar radiation could corrupt flight control data on the A320 family of jets, was completed within the prescribed timeframe, the Lucio Tan-led carrier said in a statement Saturday, Nov. 29.
The compliance came after the advisory forced PAL to cancel 16 flights and delay 19 others on Saturday, impacting thousands of passengers.
The disruption across the Philippines, which included budget carriers Cebu Pacific and AirAsia, saw over 80 flights canceled and affected an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 passengers on domestic routes.
PAL said it is now working to normalize flight schedules as quickly as possible and continues to coordinate with aviation authorities and airport partners to minimize any residual operational impact.
The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines expects that system upgrades for all local carriers will be largely completed by noon on Sunday.
PAL, meanwhile, extended its apologies and thanked passengers for their patience as it implemented the essential safety measures.
Affected customers may opt for rebooking, refund, or conversion of their tickets into travel credits, according to earlier advisories.