Minimal delays for US airlines after Airbus orders global emergency software fix on A320-family jets
On Friday, European aerospace giant Airbus issued an urgent directive for airlines to implement a software fix on thousands of A320-family jets, following the discovery of a critical bug that could lead to control issues during flights. This announcement comes in the wake of an alarming incident involving a JetBlue A320 that experienced a sudden altitude drop while flying from Mexico to New York on October 30, injuring 15 passengers. The root cause of the problem was identified as intense solar radiation potentially corrupting vital flight control data during solar flares. With approximately 6,000 A320 jets globally affected—over half of the total fleet of this popular narrow-body aircraft—the urgency of the fix cannot be overstated, particularly as the holiday travel season approaches.
The software update required to address this issue is relatively quick, taking about two hours to complete, which is a relief for U.S. airlines preparing for the post-Thanksgiving travel rush. American Airlines, the largest operator of the A320 family, reported that 209 of its 475 jets are impacted, but with fewer than 150 aircraft remaining to receive the update as of Friday evening, the airline anticipates minimal disruption. Delta Air Lines, operating 305 A320-family jets, identified fewer than 50 A321neo aircraft needing the fix and expects to complete the updates by Saturday morning. United Airlines, with 201 jets in service, noted that only six of its planes are affected. However, the situation is more dire for airlines outside the U.S., particularly in Colombia, where Avianca reported that over 70% of its fleet is impacted, prompting the airline to suspend ticket sales through December 8.
As the travel industry gears up for one of its busiest weekends, airlines are urging passengers to stay informed about their flight statuses through airline apps. While the immediate operational impact on major U.S. carriers is expected to be limited, the timing of this software fix underscores the importance of addressing safety concerns in the aviation industry. Passengers are encouraged to remain vigilant and check for updates, as the situation continues to develop.
European planemaker Airbus ordered airlines on Friday to perform an immediate software fix on thousands of A320-family jets, addressing a bug that could cause control problems during flights.
In a statement, the planemaker said that analysis of a recent incident had revealed a problem in which “intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls” during solar flares.
The problem was found after a JetBlue A320 flying from Mexico’s Cancun International Airport (CUN) to New York’s Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Oct. 30 experienced a sudden drop in altitude, injuring 15 people.
About 6,000 planes globally are affected, or just over half of the global fleet of the narrow-body jet, which recently overtook Boeing’s 737 as the most-delivered commercial airplane in history. U.S. operators currently have 1,622 A320 jets in service, according to data analytics firm Cirium, although not all of them are impacted by the order.
Fortunately for airlines, the fix appears to be quick — welcome news for U.S. carriers gearing up for that post-holiday rush on the back end of Thanksgiving. The fix involves a software update that takes about two hours.
American Airlines, which is the largest operator of the A320-family, said that 209 of its jets are affected, out of a total in-service fleet of 475 of the type. As of 7 p.m. ET, there were fewer than 150 aircraft still waiting on the fix, according to a spokesperson, with the “overwhelming majority” expected to be completed by Saturday morning.
“Safety will always be our top priority, and we thank our customers for their patience during this unexpected event,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
A person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified characterized any expected impact to passenger service to be “minimal.”
Delta Air Lines, which has 305 A320-family jets in service, according to Cirium, said that it expects the number of affected planes to stay relatively low, and it had identified fewer than 50 A321neo aircraft that will require the fix. The airline plans to finish installing the software update by Saturday morning, a spokesperson said, and expects any operational impact to be “limited.”
United has 201 A320-family jets in service but told TPG that only six planes were affected and it did not expect the issue to affect schedules.
JetBlue, which which flies 220 of the aircraft, did not immediately respond a request for comment.
While the effects on U.S. carriers may be limited, airlines in other parts of the world faced greater impacts. Colombia’s Avianca said that more than 70% of its fleet was affected, according to Reuters, leading it to close ticket sales for travel through Dec. 8.
Still, despite what may prove to be a limited impact to the larger U.S. airlines, the issue comes during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, as Americans return home following Thanksgiving.
As always, be sure to check your flight in your airline’s app to see the latest status, and keep an eye on TPG for the latest on any travel disruptions caused by this issue.
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