Airbus has ordered an immediate software update for a significant number of its A320 family jets, affecting thousands of aircraft worldwide. This decision comes after a recent incident involving a JetBlue flight that resulted in passenger injuries due to a sudden loss of altitude. The software change must be implemented before the next scheduled flight, which could lead to cancellations and delays during a busy travel weekend in the United States and beyond.

The company stated that intense solar radiation may corrupt critical data necessary for flight control operations. In a statement, Airbus acknowledged that the required updates would cause operational disruptions for passengers and airlines. The incident that prompted this recall occurred on October 30, when JetBlue Flight 1230, traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, experienced a flight control issue that led to an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the matter.

Airbus indicated that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency is expected to issue an emergency directive mandating the software fix. For approximately two-thirds of the affected jets, the recall will involve a brief grounding as airlines revert to a previous software version. However, this comes at a time when airline repair shops are already facing challenges due to maintenance capacity shortages and delays in engine repairs and inspections.

Industry sources noted that hundreds of the affected jets may require hardware changes, which could extend the downtime for those aircraft. Following the announcement, around 3,000 A320-family jets were still in operation globally. American Airlines and Hungary's Wizz Air have already identified the aircraft needing the software update, while United Airlines reported that it was not affected.

American Airlines stated that about 340 of its 480 A320 aircraft require the software replacement. The airline expects to complete most of these updates within the next two days, with each fix taking approximately two hours. The A320 family, which includes around 11,300 aircraft in operation, has recently surpassed the Boeing 737 as the most delivered model in history. The A320 was the first mainstream jetliner to utilize fly-by-wire technology for flight controls.

The bulletin detailing the recall traced the issue to the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC), which transmits commands from the pilot's sidestick to the aircraft's elevators, controlling its pitch. The computer's manufacturer, Thales of France, stated that it complies with Airbus specifications and that the software functionality in question is not under its responsibility. This recall marks one of the largest in Airbus's 55-year history, highlighting the ongoing challenges in the aviation industry.