European airline producer Airbus announced Friday that jets in its A320 family may be vulnerable to intense solar radiation, leading to recalls.
The radiation could “corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls,” leading to repairs and possible delays, according to the statement.
Airbus said it is working with aviation authorities to ensure safety by implementing software and/or hardware protection. (RELATED: Flight Tower Evacuated At Atlanta International Airport As Severe Weather Disrupts Thanksgiving Travel)
The recall follows a recent incident in which several passengers on an Oct. 30 JetBlue flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, were injured after a sharp loss of altitude, sources in the industry told Reuters.
The flight made an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, and sparked a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation.
There are about 11,300 A320-family aircraft currently operating, and 6,440 jets — over half of its global fleet — are of the “core A320 model,” according to the outlet.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is also expected to issue emergency airworthiness directives, Airbus told Reuters.
An Airbus logo is on display at Al-Maktoum International Airport during the Dubai Airshow 2025 in Dubai on November 17, 2025. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)
Most of the jets will need a brief grounding, during which they can be reverted to a previous software version, but others may also need hardware changes, industry insiders told Reuters.
The adjustments must be made before the next routine flight, according to a bulletin obtained by the outlet. Those changes are expected to cause major disruptions in flights across the U.S. during Thanksgiving weekend.
“Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers,” the statement said. “We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”
American Airlines said roughly 340 of its A320 aircraft need the software replacement and estimated that a majority of them can be fixed “today and tomorrow,” averaging about two hours for each plane, according to Reuters.
Airbus has not responded to the Daily Caller’s request for comment as of publication.
