Airbus has identified a vulnerability in its A320 family aircraft where intense solar radiation may interfere with onboard flight control computers. This discovery followed an investigation into an incident in October involving a JetBlue Airways flight between the United States and Mexico, which experienced a loss of altitude. The incident resulted in an emergency landing in Florida and injuries to at least 15 individuals.
Affected Aircraft and Remedial Actions
Approximately 6,000 aircraft, encompassing the A318, A319, A320, and A321 models, are affected. This figure represents approximately half of Airbus's global fleet of these models.
- Software Update: Around 5,100 aircraft require a software update to address the issue. This update is estimated to take approximately three hours per aircraft.
- Hardware Replacement: The remaining 900 older aircraft necessitate the physical replacement of onboard computers. These aircraft will remain grounded until the replacements are completed, with timelines dependent on part availability.
Airbus has acknowledged that these actions will lead to operational disruption for passengers and customers and has issued an apology.
Impact on Global Air Travel
The measures have resulted in flight delays and cancellations across various airlines and regions. The extent of disruption varies:
- United Kingdom: UK aviation regulators anticipate some flight disruption. Gatwick Airport reported "some disruption," while Heathrow and Manchester Airports indicated limited or no significant issues.
- Europe: Publicly available data suggested Air France experienced significant impact, with 50 flights scheduled for a Saturday morning from its Paris hub being cancelled. EasyJet reported commencing and completing software updates on numerous aircraft, with plans for a full service. British Airways was understood to be minimally affected, while Wizz Air and Air India confirmed ongoing updates.
- United States: The issue coincided with the Thanksgiving travel period. American Airlines stated 340 of its aircraft were affected, expecting operational delays, with most updates projected for completion by Friday or Saturday. Delta Airlines anticipated limited impact on its operations.
- Australia: Jetstar cancelled 90 flights, affecting approximately one-third of its fleet. Disruption was projected to continue throughout the weekend, despite the majority of aircraft having undergone the update.