Listen to the article
Airlines worldwide scrambled to update software on Airbus A320 aircraft after discovering that intense solar radiation could corrupt critical flight control data, following a JetBlue incident last month that caused a sudden drop in altitude.
Airbus confirmed Friday that their investigation into the JetBlue emergency revealed a software vulnerability affecting the A320 family, one of the most widely used commercial aircraft in the world. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency mandated immediate software updates, impacting more than 500 U.S.-registered aircraft.
The timing proved particularly challenging as the fix coincided with the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the United States, traditionally the busiest travel period of the year. Airlines worked overnight to implement the updates, which typically require about two hours per aircraft.
American Airlines, with approximately 480 planes from the A320 family, reported that 209 of their aircraft required the update. The carrier anticipated completing the overwhelming majority of updates by Friday, with the remaining few finished on Saturday. While some delays were expected, the airline emphasized that preventing cancellations and maintaining safety remained their priorities.
Delta Air Lines indicated the issue affected fewer than 50 of their A321neo aircraft, while United Airlines reported only six planes in their fleet needed the update. Hawaiian Airlines confirmed their operations were unaffected.
Outside the United States, the impact varied by region. Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways canceled 65 domestic flights for Saturday, with potential additional cancellations on Sunday. The airline operates more than 30 planes from the affected family.
Air India reported on social media that its engineering teams had completed the reset on more than 40% of affected aircraft without any cancellations. In Europe, disruptions were generally minimal by Saturday, with French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot announcing an “almost complete return to normal in French airports.”
British Airways had only three aircraft requiring updates, while Germany’s Lufthansa completed most software changes overnight and expected no cancellations, though minor delays remained possible throughout the weekend. Scandinavian Airlines SAS reported normal operations on Saturday after overnight update installations.
Mike Stengel, partner at aerospace consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory, noted that while the timing was “not ideal” during a busy holiday weekend, “it only should take a few hours to update the software,” allowing the work to be completed during overnight maintenance or between flights.
The software issue came to light following an October 30 incident on a JetBlue flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, which experienced a sudden altitude drop. At least 15 passengers were injured and hospitalized, and the aircraft was diverted to Tampa, Florida.
The A320 family is manufactured by Airbus, which maintains its main headquarters in France but is registered in the Netherlands. The aircraft represents one of the world’s most popular single-aisle models and serves as the primary competitor to Boeing’s 737. Airbus updated the engines in the mid-2010s for models designated as A320neo.
According to Airbus, the A320 family has become the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft, with thousands in operation across virtually every major airline globally.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
9 Comments
This A320 software glitch is a good reminder of the complexity of modern aircraft systems. While the technology is impressive, vulnerabilities can always emerge that require rapid, coordinated responses from manufacturers, airlines, and regulators.
With over 500 U.S.-registered A320 aircraft affected, this must be a huge logistical challenge for the airlines. Completing 209 updates at American alone in just a couple days is an impressive feat. Kudos to the teams working around the clock to get this done.
The sheer scale of getting over 500 aircraft updated in just a couple days is really impressive. Kudos to the airlines and maintenance crews working around the clock to get this done. Safety has to come first, even if it means some short-term disruptions.
Interesting that intense solar radiation can corrupt flight control data. I wonder if this is a known issue or if it’s a new vulnerability they just discovered. Either way, it’s good Airbus is working on a fix to address it.
I’m curious to learn more about how solar radiation can corrupt flight control data. That seems like a very specific vulnerability that I wouldn’t have expected. Hopefully Airbus can investigate the root cause and implement additional safeguards.
The timing of this issue couldn’t be worse, with the busy Thanksgiving travel period underway. I hope the airlines can minimize delays and disruptions as much as possible while getting these critical software updates installed. Safety has to come first.
This software glitch on the Airbus A320 sounds concerning. I hope the airlines can get all the planes updated quickly to minimize disruptions. Safety should be the top priority when it comes to critical flight control systems.
This software glitch on the A320 highlights the complexity of modern aircraft systems. While the technology is impressive, vulnerabilities like this show the importance of rigorous testing and safeguards to ensure passenger safety.
I’m curious to learn more about the specific mechanisms by which solar radiation can corrupt flight control data. That seems like a very unique vulnerability that I wouldn’t have expected. Hopefully Airbus can shed more light on the root cause and potential mitigation strategies.