We’ll have to mark this as “developing” for now, but it sounds like we could see some short term issues with Airbus A320 family aircraft in the coming days and weeks…
In this post:
Airbus announces precautionary A320 fleet action
Airbus has just released a statement, explaining that a large number of Airbus A320 family aircraft may need to be temporarily grounded, after a recent incident revealed that intense solar radiation can corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Here’s Airbus’ full statement:
Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.
Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted.
Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly. This AOT will be reflected in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.
CNBC suggests that this could impact 6,000 aircraft in service, roughly half of the Airbus A320 family aircraft that are currently flying around the world.
I believe this is all related to an incident that happened on October 30, 2025, where a JetBlue A320 experienced a flight control issue resulting from a computer malfunction. Specifically, the plane pitched down without any input from the pilots, causing around 15 people to be hospitalized.
This could impact airline operations quite a bit
Officially, there are limited details as to how long this fix will take, and how quickly it needs to happen. JonNYC reports that American may soon be grounding much of its Airbus A320 family fleet, and that this fix will take a minimum of two hours per aircraft, and in some cases, much longer than that.
Two hours might not sound like a lot, but that’s the minimum amount of time the fix takes, and that could really add up. After all, planes often don’t have much slack in their schedule, and a delay of two hours across a large fleet could have big implications.
We also don’t know how soon this fix has to take place — can it just happen the next time a plane has an overnight at an airport with maintenance staff for the airline, or does it have to happen ASAP?
So we’ll see how this plays out, but if you see some issues with Airbus A320 family reliability in the coming days, now you know why.
Bottom line
A new Emergency Airworthiness Directive is impacting Airbus A320 family aircraft, over concerns that solar radiation can cause flight control issues. It sounds like thousands of Airbus aircraft will require fixes, which are expected to take a minimum of a couple of hours.
It remains to be seen with what timeline this all happens, but I definitely imagine this will impact airline schedules a bit in the coming days. At least it’s not Boeing, for once, I guess?
Was on a DL A320 Friday afternoon. We took off from ATL around 3:45pm, and once the wifi went live, this story (in the form of the BBC article) popped up in my feed. That was fun.
When the FA came to take my drink order, I casually showed her the article and her eyes practically jumped out of her skull. When she came back with my wine (about twenty minutes later), she told...
Was on a DL A320 Friday afternoon. We took off from ATL around 3:45pm, and once the wifi went live, this story (in the form of the BBC article) popped up in my feed. That was fun.
When the FA came to take my drink order, I casually showed her the article and her eyes practically jumped out of her skull. When she came back with my wine (about twenty minutes later), she told me she spoke to the pilots, who told her they knew about it, and would be updating the plane at the end of the day after it ran back to ATL on the return flight; they didn't want to tell the flight attendants and "worry them." She didn't seem too pleased by that...
But we landed safely at MDW!
Was a bit of a mess last night at CDG as AF cancelled many flights but thankfully our A319 was so old that it didn’t need a fix since it has totally different hardware. Hopefully our return on a A320 isn’t impacted
"It is understood that on around 5,100 Airbus planes, the issue can be addressed using a relatively simple software update which would typically take about three hours.
"However, the remaining 900 aircraft, which are older versions, will need to have onboard computers physically replaced, and will not be allowed to carry passengers again until the job has been completed."
Did you mean to add some comment rather than just a quote of my post? I'm interested in other feedback about that BBC claim that 900 planes need computer replacement.
wpcoe, as an Englishman who lives on the right side of the pond, I must advise you that one is ill advised to take anything which is reported by the Biased Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as fact. The service is no longer trusted by the thinking English population.
Online BBC article :
"It is understood that on around 5,100 Airbus planes, the issue can be addressed using a relatively simple software update which would typically take about three hours.
"However, the remaining 900 aircraft, which are older versions, will need to have onboard computers physically replaced, and will not be allowed to carry passengers again until the job has been completed."
source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8e9d13x2z7o
What do all these mistakes have in common? Computers.
Maybe it's time we ban those mistake-making machines.
----just to illustrate how idiotic a particular commenters "get rid of the humans" sounds.
Logic of dinosaurs. Waste of time to even explain the difference.
No surprise you're obsolete.
Can't ***actually*** explain it and so uses "waste of time" to dismiss it.
Logic of a clown.
We all know who's obsolete in this discussion.
Nobody should believe whatever an Eskimo posts as the login name has been found to post unreliable information. One is yet to discover if the login name has been compromised or the real Eskimo is suffering from mental perturbations.
Delays and cancelations across the US today seem to be pretty typical; same with projected into tomorrow as of now. Thankful it’s a software update and not something physical that needs to be replaced.
delays Saturday morning are due to snow and ice in Chicago and apparently ATC staffing at DFW and BNA, the latter of which have ground stops as of 8 am central time.
Thanks Putin!
Air india brand new planes are great until the second flight of the aircraft. Then the seats are all pissy and poopy. Nasty.
Love a little bit of casual racism in the morning
But its true
Jetstar Australia seems to be pretty afflicted by the issue. This is their core aircraft, as per my understanding...
Lucky me I sorta dodged the bullet. I flew with them a few days ago...
BTW, from BBC:
/.../Former Qantas captain Dr Ian Getley, who holds a PHD in cosmic and solar radiation in aviation, says flights can be affected by coronal mass ejections (CME), which is when plasma is ejected from the sun...
Jetstar Australia seems to be pretty afflicted by the issue. This is their core aircraft, as per my understanding...
Lucky me I sorta dodged the bullet. I flew with them a few days ago...
BTW, from BBC:
/.../Former Qantas captain Dr Ian Getley, who holds a PHD in cosmic and solar radiation in aviation, says flights can be affected by coronal mass ejections (CME), which is when plasma is ejected from the sun into space.
The higher the severity of the CME, the more likely it is that issues could arise with satellites and aircraft electronics above 28,000 ft (8.5 km), he tell us.
A CME releases heavily charged particles that shoot into the Earth's atmosphere.
These create more charged particles in the upper atmosphere, which in turn can interfere with aircraft electronics. /.../
Nobody takes your bullshit seriously. piss Off!!!
What seems to be the problem, Jessica? This is a direct quote and the science seems to be generally accepted, so…
Nobody should believe whatever a Jessica posts as the login name can be seen to post vile information. One is yet to discover if the login name has been compromised or if the real Jessica is suffering from mental perturbations.
There were a lot of delays in KLIA2 that I saw yesterday. My Air Asia flight was delayed 3.5 hours due to "equipment issues" whatever that means, but guessing this could be the reason. I had originally through it was due to the Southeast Asia flooding, or maybe the combination of both. FYI, Air Asia has a sizable A320 fleet.
Can they wait until like Tuesday? Bad thing to have on Thanksgiving weekend.
Let’s see in America, who flies the A320 AA DL UA NK B6, if i am not mistaken. Not a good thing for one of those that has been in the NEWS for a while now.
AA says it has 300 aircraft that are impacted but they will get the updates done this weekend.
DL says it has 50 aircraft and it will be done by Saturday morning.
UA says it is not impacted.
Let's see what other airlines report but the "severity" of this crisis is falling by the minute at least in the US.
Airbus, like Delta, always blames outside factors for their fails. I’m calling BS on Airbus. Solar radiation? Really? Bad code is the problem, hence the ability to revert to the previous version. Old hardware now nonfunctional due to bad code, possibly. The FAA and EASA need to fine the bejezzus out of Airbus for letting the potentially dangerous code get into the fleet.
aren't you just a pilot?
aren't you just a Tim Dunn?
aren’t you the fake Eskimo?
More airbus rubbish…yes Icarus, just don’t fly too close to the sun
EASA AD says after 29th Nov, must be rectified before next flight.
Operators won't be completely blindsided by this, so some will have been more proactive and started resolving before the AD was issued, if they're able too.
AA says it has 300 aircraft that are impacted but they will get the updates done this weekend.
DL says it has 50 aircraft and it will be done by Saturday morning.
UA's A320/319 fleet is about 140 strong - and they are older aircraft - I haven't heard an update from them.
Remember that this became known yesterday so many airlines have already started working on it.
I doubt it will be as...
AA says it has 300 aircraft that are impacted but they will get the updates done this weekend.
DL says it has 50 aircraft and it will be done by Saturday morning.
UA's A320/319 fleet is about 140 strong - and they are older aircraft - I haven't heard an update from them.
Remember that this became known yesterday so many airlines have already started working on it.
I doubt it will be as big of a deal esp. for airlines that have large in-house maintenance capabilities.
The local newspaper here in CLT reports that AA needs to update the software on about 300 aircraft. Supposedly, most of the updates will be completed this weekend.
There seems to be little impact to US carriers so far. Either the FAA is allowing them to do the work over a period of time including overnight or they have already done some of the inspections; supposedly this became known yesterday.
Air France has cancelled a number of A320 family flights today - but less than 5% of their system - and appear not to be cancelling near as much tomorrow.
There are...
There seems to be little impact to US carriers so far. Either the FAA is allowing them to do the work over a period of time including overnight or they have already done some of the inspections; supposedly this became known yesterday.
Air France has cancelled a number of A320 family flights today - but less than 5% of their system - and appear not to be cancelling near as much tomorrow.
There are more cancellations for Chicago and Midwest weather tomorrow than for any aircraft-related issues.
But this is impossible. All of the Airbus fanboys keep telling us that Airbuses are the most perfectest, most wonderfulest planes in the sky. And they appear to have gone silent right now, just like their favoritest planes. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
I still much prefer a220 over 717, a32neo over 737max and 757, a339 over 767, and a350 over 777.
The only exception is the 747. While I like the a380 a lot, the queen still has a special place in my av geek heart.
But you're a sick person. Any Boeing is better than any comparative Airbus, and in your first case, any Douglas is better than Franco-Canadian Spaghetti-Os.
ORD, it is you who is showing signs of suffering from a serious sickness …. Boeing propaganda swallowing. Wash your mouth out and treat your brain cell to some truth.
Ironically, the Airbus A220 that you prefer was developed by Bombardier Aviation, Canada, & flew as Bombardier CSeries for 2 years or so before Airbus became a majority stakeholder
Absolutely JDee, I had forgotten all about that fact, along with the Boeing boys too …. thank you for reminding us all.
Still being made in Montreal (C300)
Because @ORD…..Boeing knew their software was faulty, hid the fact and people died.
Airbus acknowledged it, immediately issued a warning to all customers and put safety above profits.
Correct, Ronnie.
Idiot.
Reminds me of the abrupt cancellations with Delta’s subsidiary Endeavor from earlier this year; relatively unexplained ‘technical’ issue for nearly their whole fleet of CRJs caused chaos for 1-2 days, around June 6-8, 2025. Had to rebook last minute on my own dime with American. Wild for AA to save the day.
Yes, Tim, ‘but, but… that was Endeavor, not Delta…’ yet, what’s the livery and upholstery say? …”DELTA.” Hmm… and they serve Biscoff… HMM….
It seems to be an urgent matter. However it's interesting how Airbus has gone about dealing with this issue in comparison to Boeing when they had much more significant issues and deaths with the 737 max
Tell this @Ord!
I’m at the airport in Tampa now and the AA team member at the desk in the lounge says this is why our fight is more than 2-hours delayed coming in from Charlotte. She implied this is being rolled out across the fleet at present.
Air France has cancelled all A32F flights.
LHG continues flying.
This is huge, A320 family includes 318, 319, 320, 321 all variants.
Why don’t they just reboot it?
Nobody has boots in that size.
Thread of the day
NBC says:
For about two-thirds of the affected jets, the recall will result in a relatively brief grounding as airlines revert to a previous software version
I am intrigued as to how susceptibility to solar flares increased with a change of software.
Can anybody explain?
When was the fragile update released?
Hardware is more understandable.
I suspect the latest software changed how it responded to anomalous data. A previous version may have just thrown an error and reverted to a safe mode (I.e. direct law), but update might have tried to accommodate the errors and react - leading to the issues in the reported event.
Just a guess though.
I wrote a purely technical reply to this, but for some reason not posted/deleted.
Reply to comments seem really glitchy?
this could make the MD80 wiring inspection and grounding seem like child's play.
WN mechanics can continue w/ their Thanksgiving weekend plans, many others not so much
Tim, I find that I must correct you old son …. “Mechanics” attend to the maintenance of engines, airframes, landing gear, etc, etc. It is the aeronautical Technicians who will have to deal with the electronics challenges. A very distinct difference on the right side of the pond …. :-)