Airbus narrows software crisis as airlines ride out A320 recall

By Tim Hepher, Allison Lampert and David Shepardson

PARIS, Dec 1 (Reuters) – Airbus fleets were returning towards normal operations on Monday after the European planemaker pushed through abrupt software changes faster than originally expected, as it wrestled with safety headlines long focused on rival Boeing.

Dozens of airlines from Asia to the United States said they had carried out a snap software retrofit ordered by Airbus, and mandated by global regulators, after a vulnerability to solar flares emerged in a recent mid-air incident on a JetBlue A320.

But some require a longer process and Colombia’s Avianca continued to halt bookings for dates until December 8.

Sources familiar with the matter said the unprecedented decision to recall about half the A320-family fleet, or 6,000 jets,