Thousands of Airbus A320 family aircraft were grounded worldwide this weekend after a rare and alarming revelation: intense solar radiation can corrupt critical flight control data, threatening the safety of some of the world’s most popular passenger jets. The sweeping precaution, announced by Airbus on November 29, 2025, sent shockwaves through the global aviation industry, triggering an urgent push for software and hardware fixes, and causing delays and cancellations for travelers across multiple continents.
The crisis was sparked by a harrowing incident on October 30, 2025. A JetBlue Airways flight, operating an Airbus A320 from Cancun, Mexico to Newark, New Jersey, suddenly lost altitude mid-flight. According to The Guardian and BBC News, the aircraft plunged from 35,000 feet to 10,000 feet, at one point dropping 100 feet in just seven seconds. The pilots made an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, and at least 15 people—including children—were hospitalized with injuries. JetBlue later confirmed, as reported by USA Today, that it was “working closely with the FAA, Airbus and our business partners to quickly address an issue identified with flight control software on certain A320 and A321 aircraft operated by carriers worldwide.”
In the aftermath, Airbus engineers traced the root cause to a vulnerability in the flight control computers, which, under intense solar radiation—like that experienced during the sun’s recent solar maximum—could result in corrupted data. The company stated, “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.” This vulnerability affects not only the A320, but also the A318, A319, and A321 models, including some A321neo jets, as confirmed by BBC News and The Associated Press.
Airbus responded swiftly, working with aviation authorities including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). On November 29, the company issued an Alert Operators Transmission, and EASA followed with an emergency airworthiness directive. The directive mandated that all affected planes undergo software updates before carrying passengers again, though so-called “ferry flights” without passengers were permitted to reach maintenance facilities.
Globally, around 6,000 A320 family aircraft were impacted—half of Airbus’s entire fleet. About 5,100 of these jets could be fixed with a relatively simple software update, a process typically taking two to three hours per plane. However, 900 older aircraft required physical replacement of onboard computers, a more time-consuming fix dependent on the availability of new hardware. Airbus acknowledged, “these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers,” but emphasized, “safety is our number one and overriding priority.”
The timing of the directive couldn’t have been worse for travelers in the United States, coinciding with the busy Thanksgiving holiday return period. American Airlines, which operates about 480 A320 family planes, said 340 required the update and described its response as “all hands on deck.” The airline told NewsCenter 5, “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.” American Airlines expected the vast majority of its updates to be completed by Saturday, November 30.
Delta Air Lines reported that fewer than 50 of its A321neo planes were affected and anticipated only limited operational impact. United Airlines had six affected jets, while Hawaiian Airlines was unaffected. JetBlue, the airline at the center of the October incident, confirmed it was already working on all impacted aircraft. Wizz Air and EasyJet, two major European low-cost carriers, announced overnight completion of software fixes on their fleets, with EasyJet stating it was planning a full service on Saturday.
Still, the disruption was felt at airports around the world. In Japan, ANA cancelled 95 flights, affecting 13,500 travelers. In Australia, Jetstar cancelled 90 flights, with disruption expected throughout the weekend. France’s Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, told BFM TV that over 5,000 aircraft had already been updated by November 29, with fewer than 100 remaining. However, in Paris, Air France experienced delays and cancellations at Charles de Gaulle Airport, while London’s Gatwick Airport reported “some disruption,” according to BBC News. Heathrow and Manchester airports, by contrast, saw little impact.
British Airways and Air India were largely unaffected, with British Airways working overnight on software fixes for its three A320s. Lufthansa, Germany’s flagship carrier, anticipated only a small number of cancellations or delays. Tim Johnson, policy director at the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, acknowledged the “very rare event,” but reassured the public that aviation “is still one of the safest forms of transport” due to rigorous maintenance programs.
For the roughly 900 older planes requiring hardware replacements, the timeline for returning to service depends on the availability of new computers. Until then, these aircraft will remain grounded. The FAA and European authorities required that all software updates be completed before Sunday, December 1, 2025, for planes to resume passenger service.
The vulnerability stems from the “fly by wire” design of the A320 family, where pilot commands are relayed through computers rather than direct mechanical linkages. The specific flaw was in the software that calculates a plane’s elevation—a system that, when exposed to bursts of solar radiation from the sun’s heightened activity, could misinterpret data and cause sudden altitude drops. Aviation analyst Sally Gethin described the situation as “very much out of the ordinary,” noting that the scale of the grounding and the coordination required among airlines and regulators was unprecedented in recent years.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander praised the speed and transparency of the response, saying, “It is heartening this issue has been identified and will be addressed so swiftly, demonstrating the high aviation safety standards globally.” Airbus echoed this sentiment, apologizing for the inconvenience but reiterating that passenger safety was paramount.
While the disruption has been significant—particularly for those caught in delays or cancellations—the rapid identification of the problem, combined with the coordinated response from airlines and regulators, has averted further incidents. As of Sunday evening, most affected planes were expected to be back in service, with only a small fraction awaiting hardware fixes. The episode stands as a stark reminder of the ever-evolving challenges facing modern aviation, especially as technology and nature intersect in unexpected ways.
For now, passengers and airlines alike can breathe a little easier, knowing that a potentially catastrophic flaw has been addressed with urgency and transparency.