Aviation companies globally experienced brief interruptions leading up to the weekend while they addressed software issues on a commonly utilized commercial plane, following an assessment that determined the computer programming might have played a role in a rapid decline in the altitude of a JetBlue plane during the previous month.
TL;DR
- Aviation companies faced brief interruptions due to a software issue on A320 series planes.
- Severe solar radiation was identified as a potential cause for the software problem.
- FAA and EASA mandated a software patch, affecting over 500 U.S. aircraft.
- The issue caused logistical challenges and delays, particularly during the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
Airbus stated on Friday that an investigation into the JetBlue incident indicated that severe solar radiation could potentially compromise data essential for the operation of flight controls on the A320 series of airplanes.
The FAA, alongside the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, mandated that carriers resolve the problem through a new software patch. This directive will affect over 500 aircraft registered in the U.S.
The EU safety agency said it may cause “short-term disruption” to flight schedules. The problem was introduced by a software update to the plane’s onboard computers, according to the agency.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury offered an apology to clients following the necessary repair that resulted in “significant logistical challenges and delays.”
“Our teams are working around the clock to support our operators and ensure these updates are deployed as swiftly as possible to get planes back in the sky and resume normal operations, with the safety assurance you expect from Airbus,” he wrote in a message posted on LinkedIn on Saturday.
Thanksgiving disruptions in US
All Nippon Airways, a Japanese airline managing over 30 aircraft, called off 65 domestic routes scheduled for Saturday. The company indicated that further cancellations on Sunday might occur.
The software update arrives as American travelers commenced their journeys back home following the Thanksgiving festivities, a period that is the busiest travel time in the country.
American Airlines possesses approximately 480 aircraft belonging to the A320 series, with 209 of these requiring attention. The airline indicated that the necessary repair is anticipated to last around two hours for a significant number of planes, and the updates are expected to be finished for most by Friday.
On Saturday, the carrier stated that merely four aircraft required further modifications and that it “expects no further operational impact.”
Air India stated on X that its technical staff were addressing the issue and had finished the reset on over 40% of the planes requiring it. The airline reported no flight cancellations.
Delta indicated that it anticipated the problem would impact fewer than 50 of its A321neo planes. United stated that six aircraft within its fleet are impacted and it foresees slight interruptions to a limited number of journeys. Hawaiian Airlines reported that it experienced no adverse effects.
Pope’s plane also needs a software fix
Pope Leo XIV is undertaking his first international journey, visiting Turkey and Lebanon, and is traveling with the papal entourage and media personnel on a chartered ITA Airways Airbus A320neo.
The Vatican's spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, stated on Saturday that ITA was addressing the situation. He mentioned that the required part for the aircraft's upgrade was en route to Istanbul, accompanied by the technician designated to fit it. Leo was slated to travel from Istanbul, Turkey, to Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday afternoon.
European flights return to normal
Philippe Tabarot, the French Transport Minister, stated that the situation had stabilized due to the implementation of multiple software patches. He informed BFM-TV that the country experienced a restricted effect, with a “almost complete return to normal in French airports.”
In the U.K., disruptions were also very limited. For instance, British Airways stated that just three of its planes needed the upgrade, whereas EasyJet suggested its flight timetable might be altered due to the update, and in such a scenario, travelers would be notified.
Lufthansa of Germany stated that the majority of software updates were finished overnight and early Saturday. The company indicated that no Lufthansa Group Airlines flights are anticipated to be grounded because of the ongoing circumstances, though slight postponements might occur throughout the weekend.
SAS, the Scandinavian airline, stated that its air services were functioning as usual on Saturday, following overnight efforts by its teams to implement the necessary software.
Mike Stengel, an associate at AeroDynamic Advisory, a consulting firm for the aerospace sector, stated that the correction could be handled either between flights or during overnight inspections of the aircraft.
“Definitely not ideal for this to be happening on a very ubiquitous aircraft on a busy holiday weekend,” Stengel said from Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Although again the silver lining being that it only should take a few hours to update the software.”
Following an incident on board the flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey. On October 30th, a minimum of 15 JetBlue travelers sustained injuries and were transported to medical facilities. The aircraft was rerouted to Tampa, Florida.
Airbus, a company incorporated in the Netherlands with its primary operational center in France, stands as one of the globe's leading aircraft producers, competing with Boeing.
According to Stengel, the A320 stands as the main rival to Boeing’s 737. He mentioned that Airbus made improvements to its engine around the middle of the 2010s, and aircraft within this class are now designated as A320neo.
The A320 is the world’s bestselling single-aisle aircraft family, according to Airbus’ website.
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This report was compiled with contributions from Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo, Jennifer Kelleher in Honolulu, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Samuel Petrequin, Pan Pylas in London, and Nicole Winfield in Istanbul.