Thousands of Airbus aircraft resumed normal operations after remaining grounded for hours due to a warning about potential solar radiation interference with flight control systems. The France-based company reported that approximately 6,000 aircraft from the A320 family had been affected, with the majority requiring a quick software update and around 900 older units needing a replacement computer.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed that the modification was applied without setbacks to more than 5,000 aircraft and that fewer than 100 were still pending, according to data provided by Airbus to local media.
Manufacturer’s Response and Immediate Effects on Airlines
CEO Guillaume Faury apologized for the logistical challenges and delays since Friday, emphasizing that teams were working tirelessly to complete the process as swiftly as possible.
During Saturday morning, Air France experienced delays and cancellations on flights to and from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. In the United States, American Airlines noted that 340 of its aircraft were included in the alert and anticipated some operational delays, although it assured that the vast majority of updates would be carried out between Friday and Saturday. Delta Airlines expected a limited impact on its network.
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Situation in the UK and Progress of Other Companies
In the UK, disruptions were minimal. Gatwick reported some disturbances, while Heathrow recorded no cancellations. Manchester did not expect significant problems, and Luton indicated it did not foresee any consequences. The Civil Aviation Authority communicated that it had worked overnight to apply the fix and that, despite the expectation of interruptions, very few flights were ultimately impacted. British Airways and Air India were reportedly not among the most affected.
Meanwhile, EasyJet reported that it had completed the update on a considerable portion of its fleet and planned to operate normally. Wizz Air also maintained its schedule after applying the changes overnight.
Impact in Oceania and Cause of the Problem Detected by Airbus
In Australia, Jetstar canceled 90 flights after confirming that nearly a third of its fleet required the modification. Disruptions were expected to continue throughout the weekend, even though most aircraft had already undergone the process. Air New Zealand had grounded its A320s until the update was completed, with all operations subsequently restored.
The situation originated from an incident in October, when a JetBlue aircraft covering a route between the United States and Mexico suddenly lost altitude and performed an emergency landing, with at least 15 people injured. The company identified a flaw in the software responsible for calculating lift and determined that, at high altitudes, certain data could be affected by intense radiation periodically released by the Sun.
Affected Models and Next Steps for Older Aircraft
In addition to the A320, the A318, A319, and A321 models were also involved. Approximately 5,100 aircraft resolved the issue through the software update, while around 900 older units will require a new computer. These aircraft will remain out of service until that replacement is completed, a timeline which will depend on the availability of the necessary equipment.
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