A Latam Airways Airbus A320 sits on the tarmac at El Dorado airport in Bogota on Nov. 28, 2025.
Sergio Yate | Afp | Getty Pictures
Elements of the world’s air journey community have been disrupted Friday after Airbus ordered quick software program fixes for six,000 A320-series plane, a transfer that affected greater than half of the narrow-body fleet and compelled airways to floor jets throughout one of many busiest journey weekends of the 12 months.
The European Union Aviation Security Company stated in a directive {that a} JetBlue flight on Oct. 30 skilled an “uncommanded and restricted pitch down occasion.” The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration additionally issued an emergency directive Friday ordering operators of the affected mannequin to deal with the glitch.
The disruption shortly spilled into U.S. vacation journey and stretched to Australia. Airbus stated it issued the order after “a latest occasion involving an A320 Household plane has revealed that intense photo voltaic radiation might corrupt information vital to the functioning of flight controls.”
Regulators warned that the difficulty might result in “an uncommanded elevator motion” within the worst-case situation.
World disruptions
American Airways, the world’s largest A320 operator, instructed CNBC that the Airbus recall impacted 209 plane, down from the greater than 340 initially recognized.
“As of 6 p.m. CT, American has fewer than 150 plane remaining to replace,” American Airways stated.
“We anticipate the overwhelming majority of these to be accomplished at present and thru the evening, with solely a handful remaining for completion tomorrow.”
United Airways stated six plane in its fleet have been affected, and the provider anticipated “minor disruption to a couple flights.”
Air India, which is partially owned by Singapore Airways, stated it had accomplished software program updates on over 40% of its affected plane and that there have been no flight cancellations, though some flights have been delayed or rescheduled.
Scoot, one other provider below the Singapore Airways group, stated 21 of its 29 A320s required the repair and that it aimed to finish the work by Saturday.
In Australia, Jetstar Airways canceled round 90 flights after figuring out plane that required the software program correction. The funds airline and its father or mother firm, Qantas, which is Australia’s nationwide flag provider, collectively maintain about 65% of the home market, whereas rival Virgin Australia has a 33% share.
Japan’s ANA Holdings canceled 65 flights Saturday, Reuters reported. The provider, together with associates equivalent to Peach Aviation, operates the nation’s largest Airbus narrow-body fleet, whereas rival Japan Airways depends totally on Boeing plane.
The directive — among the many largest within the 55-year historical past of Airbus — hit particularly exhausting in Asia, the place the single-aisle A320 household anchors short-haul networks.
