Airbus and European aviation regulators announced Friday that airlines must install a new software update on Airbus A320-family aircraft following a JetBlue flight’s sudden altitude drop last month. The fix, tied to corrupted flight-control data, may cause some delays as Thanksgiving travelers return home, reports AP.
Airbus said its investigation determined that strong solar radiation can interfere with critical flight-control information on A320-series jets. In response, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a directive ordering carriers to implement the software correction, cautioning that temporary schedule disruptions are possible.
American Airlines, which operates about 480 A320-family aircraft, said 209 of them require the update. Most were slated for completion by Friday, with the remainder expected on Saturday. The airline warned of potential delays but aims to avoid cancellations, stressing that safety remains its top priority.
Delta reported that fewer than 50 of its A321neo jets are affected, while United said only six aircraft need the update and that any operational impact will be minimal. Hawaiian Airlines confirmed that none of its planes are affected.
Aviation consultant Mike Stengel of AeroDynamic Advisory said the update can typically be installed between flights or during overnight maintenance. He acknowledged the unfortunate timing but noted that the patch only takes a few hours to complete.
The JetBlue incident occurred on Oct. 30 during a flight from Cancun to Newark, prompting the aircraft to divert to Tampa, Florida. At least 15 passengers were injured and taken to hospitals.
Airbus, based in France and registered in the Netherlands, is one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers. Its A320 family—particularly the A320neo—is the chief rival to Boeing’s 737 and remains the world’s best-selling single-aisle jet.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
