Global Airlines Scramble to Fix Software Issue in Airbus A320 Fleet Following JetBlue Incident

Airlines worldwide are racing to implement critical software updates on hundreds of Airbus A320 aircraft after investigators discovered a computer code flaw that may have contributed to a dangerous altitude drop on a JetBlue flight last month.

Airbus confirmed Friday that examination of the JetBlue incident revealed intense solar radiation could potentially corrupt data essential to flight control systems on the widely used A320 family of aircraft. The problem was introduced during a previous software update to the planes’ onboard computers.

The Federal Aviation Administration has joined the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in mandating airlines address the issue with an urgent software update. More than 500 U.S.-registered aircraft are affected, creating potential travel disruptions during one of America’s busiest travel periods as passengers return home from Thanksgiving celebrations.

“Definitely not ideal for this to be happening on a very ubiquitous aircraft on a busy holiday weekend,” said Mike Stengel, partner at aerospace consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory. “Although the silver lining is that it should only take a few hours to update the software.”

American Airlines, which operates approximately 480 planes from the A320 family, reported 209 aircraft require the update. The carrier indicated most fixes were completed Friday, with remaining aircraft scheduled for updates by Saturday. While some delays were anticipated, the airline emphasized its focus on limiting cancellations while prioritizing safety.

International carriers are similarly affected. All Nippon Airways in Japan, which operates more than 30 of the aircraft, canceled 65 domestic flights scheduled for Saturday, with additional cancellations possible on Sunday. Air India reported via social media that its engineering teams had already completed software resets on more than 40% of affected aircraft in its fleet, avoiding cancellations.

Delta Air Lines stated that fewer than 50 of its A321neo aircraft would be impacted, while United Airlines reported just six affected planes in its fleet, expecting only minor disruptions. Hawaiian Airlines confirmed its operations remained unaffected.

The urgency of the fix stems from the October 30 incident aboard JetBlue Flight 1256 from Cancun, Mexico to Newark, New Jersey. The aircraft experienced a sudden altitude drop, resulting in at least 15 passengers requiring hospitalization after the plane was diverted to Tampa, Florida.

Airbus, headquartered in France but registered in the Netherlands, is one of the world’s largest commercial aircraft manufacturers alongside Boeing. The A320 family represents Airbus’s flagship single-aisle product line and serves as the primary competitor to Boeing’s 737 series. In the mid-2010s, Airbus updated the engines on these aircraft, creating the A320neo (new engine option) variant.

The A320 has become the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family, according to Airbus, making this software issue particularly impactful across the global aviation industry. The EU safety agency acknowledged the fix may cause “short-term disruption” to flight schedules as airlines work to implement the updates.

Industry experts note that while inconvenient, the software update can typically be performed during routine maintenance windows or overnight plane checks, potentially minimizing long-term disruptions to airline operations once the initial wave of updates is complete.

As the busy holiday travel season continues, passengers are advised to check with their carriers regarding potential schedule changes while airlines work to address this safety concern across their Airbus fleets.