A solar radiation–linked software flaw in Airbus A320 jets triggered urgent global fixes, causing possible delays but no safety risk for travelers.
Thanksgiving travel tips for flights and refunds
Learn how to handle flight delays, cancellations and refunds during Thanksgiving travel.
Regulators issued an urgent directive to Airbus A320 operators on Friday, warning that the planes require a software update. An issue with the flight control software was identified and airlines will be required to correct the problem before their planes are permitted to fly again.
Because Airbus planes are manufactured by a European company, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued the initial order, and the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. will likely issue its own version subsequently.
Airbus found that a recent solar radiation burst (basically a very strong wave of energy from the sun) affected the computer data on at least one Airbus A320-series plane.
“An Airbus A320 aeroplane recently experienced an uncommanded and limited pitch down event. The autopilot remained engaged throughout the event, with a brief and limited loss of altitude, and the rest of the flight was uneventful,” EASA’s Emergency Airworthiness Directive said.
This type of radiation can temporarily corrupt the data used by the plane’s flight-control computers, which help pilots steer and keep the aircraft stable.
“This condition, if not corrected, could lead in the worst-case scenario to an uncommanded elevator movement that may result in exceeding the aircraft’s structural capability,” the directive continued.
The agency’s order requires airlines to implement it before the next flight, which could lead to disruptions as airlines work to update the software in their aircraft or replace onboard equipment.
EASA did not say how many aircraft were affected by the order. The FAA was not immediately able to provide a statement.
Airbus acknowledged the situation in a statement.
“Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly,” the statement said.
The manufacturer warned that a “significant” number of aircraft will be affected by the order, and that operational disruptions at airlines are likely.
▶ American Airlines operates approximately 480 A320-family aircraft, and said around 340 of those will require an update.
“American began identifying and completing the software update, and we expect the vast majority of aircraft to be complete today and tomorrow,” the airline said in a statement to USA TODAY on Friday. “Though we expect some delays as we accomplish these updates, we are intently focused on limiting cancellations – especially with customers returning home from holiday travel. Still, our overriding priority will always be the safety of our operation. It’s all hands on deck across our airline to address this Airbus software issue and take care of any customers whose flights are affected.”
▶ Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines both operate Airbus A320-family aircraft exclusively, and JetBlue, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are also major operators of the type.
▶ A United Airlines spokesperson told USA TODAY that the company’s A320s are not affected by the issue.
▶ A Frontier spokesperson told USA TODAY the airline is evaluating the order and will continue to provide updates.
What could the order mean for travelers?
The order could potentially cause major disruptions during the Thanksgiving travel rush. The Airbus A320 family of aircraft is one of the most common plane types currently in operation. If the airlines can’t quickly implement the fix, there could potentially be thousands of flights canceled in the coming days. But that extreme scenario already seems somewhat unlikely.
American Airlines’ statement suggests the fix is relatively easy to implement, and it did not warn of significant flight cancellations in its own operations. For now, the best bet for travelers is to keep their eyes on updates from their airline if they have flights scheduled in the coming days.
Statements from Airbus and airlines alike emphasized safety, and passengers shouldn’t feel like they need to switch flights if they are scheduled to fly on an A320-family aircraft. The issue is being handled proactively and transparently, and airlines are making sure their planes are airworthy before releasing them for departure.
(This story was updated to refresh headlines.)
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
