Airbus orders urgent software fix for thousands of A320 jets

An official from Airbus said the AOT will be followed by an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which will require affected airlines to comply with protective measures across their A320 fleets.

Industry sources estimate that the recall — involving software or hardware upgrades — could apply to around 6,000 A320-family jets out of the global fleet, representing over half of all active aircraft in that family.

Airbus warns that implementing these updates may lead to “operational disruptions,” including short-term groundings or delayed flights, depending on each airline’s maintenance capacity and schedule flexibility.

For many airlines — particularly those dependent on A320-family planes for short- and medium-haul routes — the timing could pose significant logistical challenges, especially during high-traffic travel periods.

Aircraft systems are typically shielded against a variety of hazards, but the finding that solar radiation — a natural and sometimes unpredictable factor — can corrupt flight-control data is unusual. The anomaly was discovered after what Airbus called a “recent event” involving an A320 jet.

In response, Airbus’s recommendation includes software patches to improve data integrity and, in some cases, additional hardware protections to guard against radiation-induced corruption.

EASA’s forthcoming Emergency Directive will make compliance mandatory for all operators of the affected aircraft. While Airbus emphasizes safety is its top priority, the recall underscores how even advanced aviation systems must continuously adapt to environmental and technical threats.