The aviation industry is facing significant disruption after Airbus mandated an urgent software update for its A320 family of aircraft. The move comes after the discovery of a critical vulnerability where intense solar radiation could corrupt crucial flight control data.
What Triggered the Urgent Update?
More than 6,500 Airbus A320 aircraft worldwide are affected by this software issue. The requirement for an update emerged following an incident last month involving a JetBlue A320, where at least 15 passengers were injured when the aircraft suddenly dropped altitude, forcing an emergency landing in Florida.
Investigations revealed a "flight control issue" that could be linked to the aircraft's software system. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has been closely involved, confirming that not all A320 planes will need the update, but a significant number in UK fleets could be impacted.
How UK Airlines Are Responding
Major UK carriers have been quick to assess their fleets and communicate potential impacts to passengers:
Wizz Air has warned passengers they could face disruption over the weekend, stating they have "immediately scheduled the necessary maintenance" to ensure compliance.
EasyJet has indicated there may be changes to their flying schedule, promising to inform passengers directly if their flights are affected.
In more reassuring news, British Airways confirmed only three of their aircraft require the update and don't anticipate significant disruption to their services.
Jet2.com is installing updates on a "very small number of aircraft" but confirmed there will be no impact to their flying programme.
Airport Impacts and Passenger Advice
The software fix involves reverting A320 software to an earlier version, a process Airbus says takes only two to three hours for most planes. However, the EASA has warned travellers that airlines must complete these updates or keep aircraft grounded from Sunday onwards.
Gatwick Airport has warned passengers may face some disruption over the coming days, while Heathrow Airport stated it is not expecting any disruption to its flight schedule at this stage.
The EASA's warning to travellers remains clear: "This action is likely to mean that unfortunately there may be some disruption and cancellations to flights." Passengers are advised to check with their airlines directly for the latest information about their travel plans.
