Airbus has ordered immediate precautionary action across a large portion of the global A320 Family fleet after analysis of a recent in-flight event showed that intense solar radiation can corrupt data used by flight-control systems. The manufacturer has identified roughly 6,000 aircraft that may be affected and has instructed airlines to apply software and, where required, hardware protections without delay.
To address the issue, Airbus issued an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) calling for immediate action, a step that will soon be reflected in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Airbus acknowledged that the measures will cause operational disruption but emphasised that “safety is our number one and overriding priority.”
Significant global impact is already being reported as airlines move to comply with the directive. According to Reuters, the recall affects more than half of all A320 aircraft in service worldwide and comes during one of the busiest U.S. travel weekends of the year. The following updates have been reported by affected carriers:
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Aer Lingus – Limited number of aircraft impacted.
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Air France – 35 flights cancelled.
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Air India – 113 aircraft require the fix; 42 completed. Delays expected but no cancellations.
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Air India Express – 25 aircraft affected.
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Air New Zealand – Some cancellations expected.
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American Airlines – Expects delays; number of aircraft needing updates reduced to 209 from 340.
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ANA Holdings – 65 flights cancelled on Saturday.
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Avianca – Over 70% of fleet affected; “significant” disruption for 10 days; ticket sales paused until 8 December.
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Delta Air Lines – Limited impact anticipated.
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flynas – Some delays expected.
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IndiGo – 143 of 200 aircraft updated; delays expected.
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Korean Air – Work on 10 aircraft to be completed by Sunday morning.
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LATAM Airlines – Limited number of aircraft affected.
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Lufthansa – Small number of cancellations and delays.
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Turkish Airlines – Eight A320s to return to service after updates.
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United Airlines – Minor disruption; six aircraft affected.
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Viva Aerobus – Fleet affected; update timeline pending.
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Wizz Air – All affected aircraft updated overnight; no further disruption.
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AEGEAN Airlines – Completed the required Airbus update immediately; flight schedule continues normally.
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SKY express – Not affected; its aircraft are not among the A320 series requiring modification, so operations continue as normal.
Airbus stated that the precautionary measures are designed to ensure full fleet safety and that updated aircraft remain airworthy. The manufacturer said it is working closely with operators worldwide to minimise disruption as airlines complete the necessary software and hardware protections.
