Airbus Grounds Thousands of A320 Jets Over Solar Radiation Risk

Airbus Grounds Thousands of A320 Jets Over Solar Radiation Risk

Airbus was forced to ground roughly 6,000 A320-family aircraft-half its global fleet-after discovering that intense solar radiation could disrupt onboard flight control systems, prompting an emergency software update. Most planes returned to service within hours, but airlines warned of lingering delays as older models require physical hardware replacements.

Incident Triggers Mass Grounding

The vulnerability came to light following an October incident in which a JetBlue Airways flight between the U.S. and Mexico abruptly lost altitude, injuring at least 15 passengers and forcing an emergency landing in Florida. Airbus confirmed the malfunction stemmed from solar radiation corrupting altitude-calculation software in its fly-by-wire systems, which rely on computerized controls rather than mechanical linkages.

While the manufacturer described such an event as "extremely rare," the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency directive, mandating fixes before affected aircraft could resume passenger flights. Ferry flights-empty repositioning trips-remain permitted to transport planes to maintenance hubs.

Uneven Disruption Across Airlines

Of the impacted fleet, approximately 5,100 aircraft require a three-hour software patch, which carriers like Wizz Air and EasyJet completed overnight. Wizz Air confirmed all its A320s would operate normally by Saturday, while EasyJet reported "some disruption" but expected full service after updating most of its fleet.

However, 900 older models need physical computer replacements, grounding them until parts arrive. Air France canceled 50 Saturday flights from its Paris hub-the hardest-hit carrier, per travel journalist Simon Calder-while Jetstar scrapped 90 flights in Australia after a third of its fleet was sidelined. U.S. carriers American Airlines (340 planes affected) and Delta anticipated "limited" delays, though the timing coincided with Thanksgiving, one of the year's busiest travel periods.

"Supplies [of replacement computers] will dictate how quickly we can resolve this for the oldest aircraft," an Airbus spokesperson said, acknowledging "operational disruption to passengers and customers."

Regulators Emphasize Safety Amid "Rare" Event

The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) urged travelers to expect "some disruption, delays or cancellations over the coming days," though Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander noted the impact on British airlines appeared "limited." CAA policy director Tim Johnson called the mass grounding a "very rare event" but reiterated aviation's robust safety protocols:

"Rigorous maintenance programs ensure flying remains one of the safest forms of transport," Johnson told the BBC, adding that the swift response demonstrated global aviation standards.

Technical Roots: Solar Radiation and Fly-by-Wire

The flaw lies in software that calculates elevation, which Airbus found could be corrupted by high-altitude solar radiation-a phenomenon periodic but unpredictable. The A320 family (including A318, A319, and A321 models) dominates short- to medium-haul routes worldwide, making the grounding a logistical challenge. Aviation analyst Sally Gethin told the BBC the situation was "very much out of the ordinary," with passenger impacts varying by airline preparedness.

At major UK airports, disruptions remained contained: Gatwick reported "some delays," Heathrow saw no cancellations, and Manchester expected minimal issues. British Airways avoided significant fallout, while Air India had already begun updates.

Next Steps

Airbus apologized for the inconvenience and pledged to prioritize hardware replacements for the 900 older aircraft. EASA's directive remains in effect until all planes comply, with carriers like Jetstar warning of weekend-long disruptions despite progress on software fixes.