Airbus has issued an urgent global alert to A320-family operators, instructing them to immediately fix a newly identified software problem that could affect flight-control systems on thousands of aircraft. The directive which takes effect Saturday evening (US Eastern time) was triggered after Airbus determined that “intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.”

The warning follows a JetBlue A320 incident on October 30, when the jet “unexpectedly pitched downward without pilot input.”

In India, more than 350 A320-family aircraft operated by IndiGo and the Air India group will be grounded for the required fix. The upgrade is expected to be completed within 2–3 days, with normal operations likely by Monday or Tuesday.“Inspection and/or Modification on the following subject is mandatory. Please make necessary amendment in below mentioned Mandatory Modification List. This is to be ensured that no person shall operate the product which falls under the applicability of this Mandatory Modification except those which are in accordance with the compliance to requirement of Mandatory Modification (s)/ applicable Airworthiness Directive(s)…” the DGCA said in a notification issued on Saturday.Also Read |Over 300 planes hit: Airbus A320 software snag set to cause major flight disruptions — 10 things to knowGlobally, the issue affects around 6,000 aircraft, although Airbus says not every A320 is impacted. Most jets can be repaired quickly by reverting to an older software version. About 1,000 older planes will need hardware changes, which will take longer, the company said.The grounding is significant because Airbus and its main rival Boeing together control over three-quarters of the world’s commercial aircraft fleet, meaning any large-scale recall has an immediate and widespread impact on global air traffic.

The rare safety directive on Friday follows an October 30 incident involving a JetBlue A320 that “unexpectedly pitched downward without pilot input” while flying from Cancun to Newark. The aircraft suffered a sudden, uncommanded drop in altitude, forcing an emergency diversion to Tampa, where 15–20 passengers were taken to hospitals. The un-commanded drop in altitude prompted a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.The US National Transportation Safety Board said the sudden drop “likely occurred during an ELAC (flight control computer) switch change.” Airbus has since disclosed that a recent incident showed solar flares can corrupt flight-control data, a risk that prompted the company to rush out immediate repair instructions.

Investigators have found that ELAC B hardware running software version L104 may be vulnerable to intense solar flares. In extreme cases, this interference could cause the aircraft’s elevators to move unexpectedly, potentially pushing the jet beyond its structural limits, according to Aerospace Global.Solar radiation refers to the stream of energetic particles and electromagnetic waves emitted by the sun, including visible light, ultraviolet rays, and charged particles such as protons and electrons.In aviation, heightened solar activity — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — can interact with an aircraft’s electronic systems. This can disrupt sensitive components, including navigation, communication and flight-control data, making solar radiation an important factor in aircraft design, system hardening and overall airspace safety.

List of disrupted A320 operators

Airlines worldwide brace for disruptions

The sweeping recall, one of Airbus’ largest, mandates immediate repairs to 6,000 A320-family jets, affecting more than half the global fleet. The timing has rattled airlines during one of the busiest US travel weekends of the year and is causing disruptions worldwide.Earlier, a Finnair passenger reported nearly an hour’s delay as pilots verified their aircraft’s software version. American Airlines, the largest A320 operator, initially identified about 340 of its 480 jets for the update. “Though we expect some delays as we accomplish these updates, we are intently focused on limiting cancellations, especially with customers returning home from holiday travel,” the airline said in a statement.“Still, our overriding priority will always be the safety of our operation. It’s all hands on deck across our airline to address this Airbus software issue and take care of any customers whose flights are affected” it added.Delta, the fifth-largest A320 operator with 305 aircraft, said it will fully comply with the directive and anticipates only limited impact, with fewer than 50 A321neos requiring the fix. These updates are expected to be completed by Saturday morning. easyJet, meanwhile, has already finished its software upgrades.Colombian carrier Avianca, which has over 70% of its fleet impacted, has paused ticket sales through December 8. Air France is cancelling 35 flights, while Air New Zealand and Volaris are also expecting delays and cancellations.Europe’s aviation regulator, EASA, has instructed airlines to implement the fix “before their next flight,” warning that “These measures may cause short-term disruption to flight schedules and therefore inconvenience to passengers.” “However, as is always the case in aviation, safety is paramount,” it added.

According to airlines and maintenance experts, the update takes roughly two hours per aircraft, but repair shops are already strained due to ongoing engine-related groundings and labour shortages.The order has triggered one of the biggest software-related recalls in Airbus’s history and arrives at the height of the US holiday travel season, with Sunday and Monday expected to be among Thanksgiving’s busiest flying days. Still, many aircraft are expected to be updated during overnight checks or between scheduled flights.Despite the pressure, many carriers are expected to complete the fix during overnight maintenance windows or in the gaps between scheduled flights. The update itself is straightforward, essentially a rollback to an earlier software version, but must be installed before the aircraft can return to service, except when repositioning to repair centres, according to a bulletin shared with airlines, Reuters reported.Airbus said a recent incident revealed that solar flares can corrupt data essential to flight-control operations, prompting the urgent recall. Industry sources warn that temporary groundings could stretch longer for some carriers, as more than 1,000 affected jets may also require accompanying hardware replacements.Introduced in 1984, the A320 was the first major commercial jet to adopt “fly-by-wire” computerised flight controls. Its closest rival, Boeing’s 737 MAX, was grounded worldwide for an extended period after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 linked to flawed flight-control software.Globally, about 11,300 A320-family jets are currently in service, including 6,440 of the mainline A320 model, which has been flying since 1987.This latest setback is shaping up to be one of the largest recalls in Airbus’ 55-year history. When the company issued the bulletin to more than 350 operators, about 3,000 A320-family aircraft were airborne, underscoring the scale and urgency of the update.