Thousands of Airbus aircraft were grounded across the world on Saturday after the manufacturer confirmed that intense solar radiation can corrupt a key flight-control computer, forcing airlines to carry out urgent safety updates and triggering delays during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The issue affects around 6,000 A320-family planes, about half of Airbus’s global fleet, including the A318, A319, A320 and A321 models.
The problem was uncovered during an investigation into an October incident in which a JetBlue flight travelling between the U.S. and Mexico abruptly lost altitude, injuring at least 15 passengers before making an emergency landing in Florida.
Airbus said the fault lies in software responsible for calculating an aircraft’s elevation. At high altitudes, this system can be disrupted by bursts of solar radiation.
The company stressed that only one such incident has been recorded, but regulators have ordered immediate action.
According to Airbus, roughly 5,100 affected aircraft can resume service after receiving a three-hour software update. However, about 900 older planes require their onboard computers to be physically replaced, a process that could take significantly longer depending on parts availability.
These aircraft cannot carry passengers until the replacements are completed, though “ferry flights” to maintenance bases are permitted.
The manufacturer apologised for the disruption, acknowledging that the grounding will affect both airlines and travellers. Industry analyst Sally Gethin described the situation as “highly unusual”, noting that the scale of impact will vary depending on how quickly each airline implements the fix.
Airlines See Mixed Levels of Disruption
In the UK, airport disruption has remained relatively limited. Gatwick reported “some disruption”, while Heathrow said it had not experienced cancellations linked to the issue. Manchester Airport also said it did not expect significant problems.
The effect differs widely by carrier. British Airways appears minimally affected. EasyJet said it had already updated many of its planes and expected to operate a full Saturday schedule. Wizz Air and Air India confirmed they had begun updates as well.
Public data indicated Air France faced the most cancellations, with around 50 flights from its Paris hub grounded on Saturday morning.
In the U.S., the issue emerged during the busy Thanksgiving travel weekend. American Airlines said 340 of its planes needed updates, warning of likely delays but aiming to complete most fixes by Saturday. Delta Airlines said it expected only limited disruption.
Australia’s Jetstar cancelled about 90 flights after confirming that a third of its fleet required updates, with problems expected into the weekend.
Authorities Say Safety Measures Working
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring the fix before any aircraft resumes passenger flights.
Tim Johnson of the UK Civil Aviation Authority said some delays and cancellations were unavoidable but emphasised that aviation remains “one of the safest forms of transport” due to strict maintenance standards.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander also said the impact on British airlines appeared “limited”, adding that the swift global response underscored strong safety oversight.
The mass grounding is considered a rare precaution in modern aviation, especially affecting the A320 family, the world’s most widely used “fly-by-wire” aircraft, where pilots’ commands are processed through computer systems rather than direct mechanical controls.
Source: BBC
Written By Rodney Mbua
