Airbus on Friday asked airlines to immediately install a software update for A320 aircraft after identifying a potential flight-control vulnerability.
The manufacturer said its analysis of an October incident showed intense solar radiation can corrupt data that is critical to flight-control functions. Airbus said it issued an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) asking operators to apply available software and/or hardware protections as a precaution and to ensure the fleet is safe to fly.
Airbus confirmed the airplane analyzed was JetBlue Flight 1230, which on Oct. 30 dropped suddenly in altitude while flying from Cancun to Newark, causing several injuries. The company said a significant number of A320s in service could be affected.
Regulators moved quickly: the European Union Aviation Safety Agency ordered an immediate software change for a number of A320s, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is expected to issue a similar emergency airworthiness directive. NPR contacted the FAA for comment but had not received a response.
The A320 family is the world’s most widely used single-aisle aircraft, with more than 9,000 in service globally, including about 1,600 in the United States, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Airbus warned the required updates could produce operational disruptions for carriers and passengers, especially during a busy holiday travel weekend.
Airlines described ongoing efforts to implement the fixes. American Airlines said it moved swiftly and, as of 6 p.m. CT Friday, fewer than 150 of its A320s remained to be updated; it expected to finish updates Friday and Saturday and anticipated some delays while trying to minimize cancellations. “Our overriding priority will always be the safety of our operation,” the carrier said.
Delta told NPR it expects any operational impact to be limited. United initially said its fleet was unaffected but later reported six aircraft would be impacted and predicted only minor disruption to a few flights. Frontier said it was evaluating Airbus’ notice. Allegiant said it was doing everything possible to limit delays and would contact affected customers directly. JetBlue said it has begun working on affected aircraft and is trying to minimize disruption. NPR reached out to Spirit Airlines for comment but had not heard back.
Airbus emphasized the precautionary nature of the AOT and said it has been collaborating with aviation authorities to deploy the protections. Airlines are continuing to implement the updates while operating over the holiday period and coordinating with regulators to keep flights safe.