Solar bursts threaten flight computers
Airbus grounded thousands of aircraft after learning that strong solar radiation can disrupt crucial flight control computers. The discovery caused delays worldwide because roughly 6,000 A320 planes face the same flaw. Most aircraft will return to service after a fast software update.
Regulators alert passengers to delays
The UK aviation regulator warned travellers about possible delays and cancellations but said airports feel only limited impact so far. Airbus uncovered the fault during an investigation into an October incident where a plane flying between the US and Mexico suddenly lost altitude. The JetBlue aircraft diverted to Florida after several passengers suffered injuries.
Wide range of models affected
The issue covers the A318, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. About 5,100 planes need a simple three-hour update. Another 900 older aircraft require full computer replacements and cannot fly with passengers until engineers complete the work. The timeline depends on how quickly new systems arrive. Airbus apologised for the disruption.
Airlines experience uneven pressure
An aviation analyst told a London news outlet that the situation is highly unusual. Passenger delays will depend on how quickly each airline installs the updates. British airports report only minor issues. Gatwick noted some disruption while Heathrow reported no cancellations. Manchester Airport expects no major problems.
Airlines face different levels of strain. British Airways remains lightly affected. Wizz Air and Air India have already begun updates. Public data suggests Air France carries the heaviest burden, with about 50 cancelled flights at its Paris hub. A travel journalist reported this using open flight information. EasyJet first warned of issues but later said it completed many updates and expects a full Saturday schedule.
Holiday traffic in the US complicates repairs
In the United States the issue surfaced during the busy Thanksgiving period. American Airlines said 340 planes need updates and warned of some delays but expects most fixes to finish by Saturday. Delta predicted only limited disruption.
Australian flights face cancellations
In Australia Jetstar cancelled 90 flights after finding that around one third of its fleet needs updates. The airline expects continued disruption during the weekend even though most planes already received the fix.
Authorities highlight strong safety standards
A senior UK aviation official said the Airbus alert will cause delays and cancellations over the next few days. He stressed that aviation remains extremely safe due to strict maintenance practices. He said the large-scale grounding is a very rare event.
The UK transport secretary said British airlines appear only lightly affected. She praised the quick global response and credited high international safety standards for the swift action.
Radiation corrupts altitude software
The fault involves software that calculates a plane’s elevation. Airbus discovered that high-altitude radiation bursts can corrupt the data. That caused the October altitude loss. Airbus said no similar events are known.
Europe’s aviation safety agency ordered all affected planes to receive updates before carrying passengers again. Aircraft may still fly without passengers on ferry trips to reach maintenance bases. The A320 family relies on fly-by-wire controls, meaning computers process pilot inputs rather than mechanical connections.
