Airbus Recalls 6,000 A320s Due to Urgent Software Vulnerability

Airbus announced on Friday that it is recalling approximately 6,000 A320 aircraft to urgently replace a software system that is vulnerable to solar radiation, following an incident at the end of October in the United States.

The company stated in a press release that it has requested all customers using this software to "immediately halt flights" after analyzing the technical incident.

The incident occurred on October 30, on a JetBlue flight between Cancun, Mexico, and Newark, near New York, which had to make an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida.

The analysis of the incident "revealed that intense solar radiation could corrupt essential data for flight control operations," the European group reported.

For most aircraft, changing the software to its previous version will take "a few hours." However, for about 1,000 planes, this will involve changing the hardware, "which will take weeks," a source close to the matter explained to AFP.

This concerns a depth-aileron computer (ELAC) manufactured by Thales.

The supplier of Airbus clarified to AFP that it was not responsible for the issue. "The functionality in question is supported by software that is not Thales's responsibility," it stated.

Airbus did not specify which company designed and updates this software. The group "acknowledges that these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions for passengers and customers."

"We apologize for the inconveniences caused and will work closely with operators while maintaining safety as our top and foremost priority," the European aircraft manufacturer added.

"Safety Comes First"

The incident occurred during cruise phase when, over the Gulf of Mexico, the aircraft suddenly pitched down without pilot intervention.

The pilots initiated a descent and landed the plane. Tampa firefighters reported injuries among passengers to American media.

The Airbus A320, which entered service in 1988, is the best-selling aircraft in the world. In September, it surpassed Boeing's 737 single-aisle aircraft, the first of which was delivered in 1968.

By the end of September, Airbus had delivered 12,257 units of its A320 (including business versions) compared to 12,254 units of Boeing's 737.

When contacted by AFP for comment on the incident, JetBlue did not respond.

Air France reported canceling 35 flights on Friday and is counting to determine the exact number for Saturday. "Affected customers are being informed individually via SMS and email," a spokesperson clarified.

American Airlines stated that it has already begun updating the navigation software after receiving the notification on Friday.

This airline anticipates that the intervention will be completed on "the vast majority" of its approximately 340 A320 aircraft (it has 480 in total) by Saturday. "A few delays" will be due to these adjustments.

Also contacted by AFP, its American competitor United Airlines assured that it is not "affected" by this defect, without further details, although it operates several A320s.

Some airlines are particularly impacted. The Colombian airline Avianca, for example, estimates that 70% of its fleet is affected and anticipates "significant disruptions in the coming ten days," it stated in a release. Ticket sales are suspended until December 8.

The European aviation regulator (EASA) stated in a press release that it has been informed by Airbus.

"These measures may cause short-term disruptions to flight schedules and therefore inconveniences for passengers. However, as always in aviation, safety comes first," it wrote.