Airbus has issued a global directive for immediate modifications to roughly 6,000 of its planes after discovering that intense solar radiation can corrupt critical flight control data, potentially affecting the safe operation of aircraft.
The affected fleet represents about half of the European aerospace giant’s global holdings, primarily A320 family planes, including the A319, A320neo, and A321 models.
The warning follows an October incident involving a JetBlue A320 aircraft en route from Mexico to the United States, which experienced a sudden drop in altitude.
The plane made an emergency landing, with 15 to 20 passengers sustaining minor injuries. Investigations revealed that intense solar radiation had corrupted data in a flight control computer, prompting Airbus to take preventive measures.
Most of the affected planes are expected to receive a relatively simple software update to correct the issue. However, around 900 older aircraft will require complete computer replacements, meaning they will be taken out of service until repairs are completed.
Airlines are already feeling the impact. Air New Zealand reported on social media that all its A320neo aircraft would receive a software update before flying passengers, leading to flight disruptions and cancellations across its fleet.
The airline stated, “If you’re travelling today, we will be contacting customers directly if your flight is affected.”
Tim Johnson, speaking on behalf of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said, “From a UK perspective, not all airlines operate Airbus A320 aircraft or the affected ones, so for some airlines there will be no impact at all.
For others, there may be some disruption.”
He advised travelers to check airline websites and apps for up-to-date flight information as maintenance is rolled out over the coming days.
Airbus has emphasized that the global modifications are necessary to ensure continued flight safety, and regulators are coordinating with airlines to minimise disruption.
While most aircraft can be fixed quickly, the scale of the required updates means some delays and cancellations are inevitable.