Thousands of Airbus aircraft around the world have been grounded after the company discovered that intense solar radiation could interfere with onboard flight-control computers. The finding has caused delays across multiple countries. Around 6,000 A320-family planes are believed to be impacted—roughly half of Airbus’s global fleet. Most of them are expected to return to service quickly after receiving a fast, three-hour software update.
The UK’s aviation regulator warned that there will be “some disruption and cancellations,” although the overall impact at major airports remains limited.
Issue Discovered After Altitude-Loss Incident
Airbus uncovered the vulnerability after investigating an October incident in which a JetBlue flight from the US to Mexico suddenly lost altitude. The aircraft later made an emergency landing in Florida, and at least 15 people were injured.
The same flaw affects not just the A320 but also the A318, A319, and A321 models.
Most Planes Need Updates—900 Require Hardware Replacement
For about 5,100 aircraft, the problem can be fixed with a simple software update.
However, 900 older planes will need their flight-control computers physically replaced before they are cleared to carry passengers again. The timeline for this depends on how quickly replacement units become available.
Airbus has apologized, acknowledging the “operational disruption” the issue will cause.
Airlines Affected Differently Worldwide
Aviation analyst Sally Gethin told BBC News that the situation is “very unusual,” and the level of disruption will vary depending on each airline’s speed in carrying out the update.
In the UK, impacts remain relatively small.
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Gatwick reported “some disruption.”
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Heathrow has seen no cancellations.
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Manchester Airport expects minimal issues.
Across airlines, the effects differ:
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British Airways is reportedly not heavily affected.
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Wizz Air and Air India said updates are already underway.
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Air France appears to be one of the most impacted, cancelling 50 flights at Paris airports on Saturday morning.
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EasyJet expects some disruption but has already completed many updates.
In the US, the issue emerged during the busy Thanksgiving weekend:
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American Airlines said 340 of its planes were affected and expects some delays.
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Delta expects limited impact.
In Australia, Jetstar cancelled 90 flights and expects weekend-long disruption.
Safety Officials Emphasize Aviation Is Still Extremely Safe
Tim Johnson from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority said that while some delays and cancellations are likely, flying remains one of the safest forms of travel thanks to strict maintenance standards. He described the grounding as “a very rare event.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander highlighted that the quick identification and response to the issue reflects strong global aviation safety practices.
Cause: Solar Radiation Corrupting Altitude-Calculation Software
The problem stems from a computing system that calculates aircraft altitude. Airbus found that at high altitudes, intense solar radiation can corrupt the data used by the system. This flaw led to the October incident—the only known case so far.
As a result, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive, requiring all affected planes to be updated before carrying passengers again. They may still operate passenger-free ferry flights to reach maintenance facilities.
The A320 series uses “fly-by-wire” controls, meaning pilots rely on computer-processed commands rather than direct mechanical linkages—making accurate software crucial.