Airbus to cause disruption for passengers with software updates to planes

Airlines may face delays or cancellations following Airbus's urgent call to modify thousands of aircraft after discovering that intense solar radiation could disrupt data essential for flight controls. Approximately 6,000 planes are believed to be affected, representing roughly half of Airbus's global fleet, although most can be resolved through a straightforward software update.

The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) warned that performing these updates could cause "some disruption and cancellations to flights". Airbus stated that the issue came to light after a recent "incident" in the US involving an A320-family plane and expressed regret for the inconvenience to passengers.

The October 30 incident involved a JetBlue Airways A320 making an emergency landing in Florida following a sudden loss of altitude, resulting in at least 15 reported injuries. The problem impacts the A320the company's best-selling modelas well as related aircraft, including the A318, A319, and A321.

It is estimated that around 5,100 Airbus planes can be fixed with a software update, which typically takes about three hours. The remaining 900 older models require replacement of onboard computers and cannot carry passengers until the work is completed, with timelines dependent on the availability of the replacement units.

Airbus acknowledged that this will cause "operational disruption to passengers and customers" and issued an apology. EasyJet stated that it anticipated some disruption but has already applied software updates to many of its aircraft. The airline assured that it plans to maintain its flight schedule and advised travelers to monitor their flights online.

Wizz Air confirmed some of its planes need updates and has arranged maintenance, while Air India indicated the Airbus directive may cause delays. American Airlines reported that 340 planes are affected, expecting "some operational delays", with most updates to be finished by Friday or Saturday. Delta Airlines predicted limited operational impact, and British Airways is expected to be minimally affected.

The CAA emphasized that only some airlines will experience disruptions. "Airlines operating these aircraft may need to change software over the coming days or keep planes grounded from Sunday until updates are completed," the regulator said. Tim Johnson, policy director at CAA, noted that this may cause delays or cancellations. Giancarlo Buono, director of aviation safety, advised passengers to check with their airline for updates and reminded airlines of their duty of care. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander commented that UK airlines' impact seems limited and praised the rapid identification and response to the issue.

The problem stems from high-altitude solar radiation potentially affecting the ELAC computer, which controls elevators and aileronscritical surfaces for pitch and roll. Airbus confirmed that the JetBlue incident is the only known occurrence. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency directive requiring replacement of ELAC computers on the most affected planes before carrying passengers, allowing only "ferry flights" to reach maintenance facilities.

The A320 family uses "fly-by-wire" technology, meaning pilots' inputs are interpreted by computers that control the aircraft. Airbus has instructed airlines to take "immediate precautionary action" to implement software and hardware protections to ensure the fleet remains safe to fly.

Author: Sophia Brooks