UPDATE: Global airlines are racing against time to fix a critical software glitch impacting the Airbus A320 jets after an urgent recall has halted hundreds of flights across Asia and Europe. This situation threatens travel in the United States just days before the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend, intensifying the urgency of the repairs.
Airlines are working tirelessly, with many completing fixes overnight, as regulators mandated immediate action to resume operations. Carriers including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air India, and Wizz Air reported significant progress, with most stating they faced minimal disruptions. The coordinated overnight efforts appear to have mitigated extensive flight delays, particularly in Asia and Europe.
The unexpected recall involves over 6000 Airbus A320 jets, representing more than half of the global fleet of this model. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury has publicly apologized for the chaos, acknowledging the impact on both airlines and passengers. In a LinkedIn post, he expressed regret, stating, “I want to sincerely apologize to our airline customers and passengers who are impacted now.”
This urgent alert followed an incident on October 30, where a JetBlue flight from Cancun to Newark experienced an unintended altitude loss, injuring 10 passengers. Investigators from France’s BEA agency are probing the cause, which is linked to a potential issue with solar flare radiation.
The timing of the recall has created a unique challenge. European and Asian airlines were winding down their schedules, allowing time for repairs, but the U.S. market faced high demand as Thanksgiving approaches. Steven Greenway, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Flyadeal, reported that their recall occurred late in the evening, allowing them to avoid severe disruption. Flyadeal has successfully repaired all 13 affected jets and plans to resume normal operations by midnight.
Airlines are reverting to a previous software version that controls the nose angle of the jets, with some needing hardware changes. Fortunately, by Saturday, Airbus indicated that fewer jets would require time-consuming hardware updates than initially anticipated, easing some concerns. The total number needing this adjustment is now estimated to be less than 1000.
Despite this, industry experts note that the abrupt recall represents a rare and costly challenge, especially amid ongoing maintenance pressures from labor shortages and parts availability. John Strickland, a UK-based aviation consultant, emphasized that operational challenges arising suddenly and affecting a vast portion of an airline’s fleet are difficult to navigate.
As the airlines work to resolve these issues, the clock is ticking. Each fix takes approximately two to three hours per jet, and with around 11,300 single-aisle jets in service globally, including 6440 A320 models, the situation remains fluid. Tracker data from Cirium and FlightAware show that most global airports are experiencing moderate levels of delays, but the situation is evolving rapidly.
With travel demand peaking just ahead of Thanksgiving, the aviation industry is watching closely as airlines race to ensure safety and efficiency. The outcome of these repairs will significantly impact holiday travel plans for millions. Stay tuned for the latest updates as this developing story unfolds.
