Airbus has mandated an immediate software modification for a significant portion of its A320 aircraft fleet after discovering intense solar radiation can corrupt critical flight control data. This emergency action is expected to cause substantial disruptions to global air travel during a peak holiday period.
The European manufacturer confirmed the software change must occur before each affected aircraft’s next scheduled flight. A recent incident involving an A320-family jet revealed that solar radiation could compromise data essential for proper flight control operation.
Airbus acknowledged these mandatory updates “will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers” but emphasized the critical nature of the safety modification.
Airbus Incident Background and Regulatory Response
Industry sources identified the triggering event as a JetBlue flight from Cancun to Newark on October 30. Flight 1230 experienced a sharp altitude loss and made an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, resulting in passenger injuries.
🇪🇺‼️ | ĂšLTIMA HORA — Airbus ordenĂł a todas las aerolĂneas que operan A320 aplicar de inmediato una actualizaciĂłn crĂtica despuĂ©s de detectar que la radiaciĂłn solar intensa puede corromper datos esenciales para los sistemas de control de vuelo, tras un grave incidente de JetBlue… pic.twitter.com/uIo2k5LbNb
— UHN Plus (@UHN_Plus) November 28, 2025The European Union Aviation Safety Agency will issue an emergency directive formalizing the software modification requirement following the incident and subsequent investigation.
The software update affects thousands of aircraft within the 11,300-strong A320 family fleet. Approximately 3,000 A320 jets were airborne when Airbus announced the mandatory modification.
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American Airlines reported about 340 of its 480 A320 aircraft require the update, estimating two hours per aircraft. While most affected jets need only software reverting, hundreds may require hardware changes, creating potential maintenance bottlenecks.
This represents one of the largest mass recalls in Airbus’s 55-year history, affecting the world’s most-delivered aircraft model just weeks after it surpassed Boeing’s 737 in deliveries.
