Flight computers face radiation risk
Airbus grounded thousands of planes after discovering that strong solar radiation can disrupt flight control computers. The move caused global delays because about 6,000 A320 aircraft face the issue. Most planes will return to service after a fast software update.
Airports warn travellers about delays
The UK aviation regulator warned travellers about possible delays and cancellations. Airports said the impact remains limited for now. Airbus found the problem during an investigation into an October incident where a plane flying between the US and Mexico suddenly lost altitude. A JetBlue flight diverted to Florida after several passengers suffered injuries.
Multiple Airbus models affected
The problem affects the A318, A319, A320 and A321 models. Around 5,100 aircraft need only a simple update that takes roughly three hours. Another 900 older planes require full computer replacements and cannot carry passengers until engineers finish the work. The timeline depends on the supply of new units. Airbus apologised for the operational disruption.
Airlines face uneven impact
An aviation analyst told a London news outlet that this situation is very unusual. Passenger disruption will depend on each airline’s pace in installing updates. British airports report only minor effects. Gatwick noted some disruption while Heathrow said it had no cancellations. Manchester Airport expects no significant issues.
Different airlines feel different levels of strain. British Airways appears only lightly affected. Wizz Air and Air India already started updates. Public data suggests Air France faces the most disruption, with about 50 cancelled flights at its Paris hub. A travel journalist reported this based on open schedules. EasyJet expected some issues but later said it updated many aircraft and plans a full Saturday schedule.
Heavy holiday traffic adds pressure
In the United States the issue emerged during the busy Thanksgiving period. American Airlines said 340 aircraft need updates and warned of some delays but expects to finish most work by Saturday. Delta said it expects only limited impact.
Australian flights hit by cancellations
In Australia Jetstar cancelled 90 flights after confirming that about a third of its fleet needs updates. The airline expects continued disruption through the weekend even though most planes already received the fix.
Regulators highlight safety measures
A senior UK aviation official said the Airbus notice will cause some delays and cancellations over the coming days. He stressed that aviation remains one of the safest forms of transport due to strict maintenance rules. He called the widespread grounding a very rare event.
The UK transport secretary said the impact on British airlines appears limited. She praised the swift response and credited global safety standards for the rapid detection of the issue.
Solar radiation corrupts altitude data
The fault involves software that calculates a plane’s elevation. Airbus found that intense solar radiation at high altitudes can corrupt this data. That caused the October incident where a plane lost altitude. Airbus said this was the only known event of its kind.
Europe’s aviation safety agency ordered all affected aircraft to receive updates before carrying passengers again. Planes may still perform ferry flights without passengers to reach maintenance facilities.
The A320 family uses fly-by-wire controls, which means pilots rely on computers instead of mechanical linkages.
