【Epoch Times, November 29, 2025】Aviation companies from multiple countries around the world have reported that over the weekend, there will be brief flight interruptions due to the maintenance of software on Airbus A320 commercial aircraft.
An analysis conducted previously suggested that one of the reasons for a JetBlue aircraft suddenly descending in altitude last month could be attributed to a computer program issue. On October 30th, an incident occurred on a JetBlue flight from Cancun, Mexico to Newark, New Jersey, with an Airbus aircraft, resulting in at least 15 injured passengers who were taken to the hospital, and the plane was later rerouted to Tampa, Florida.
Airbus stated on Friday (November 28th) that an investigation into the JetBlue incident revealed that key operational data of the A320 series aircraft’s flight control system may have been compromised by strong solar radiation.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) indicated that the issue stemmed from a software update on the aircraft’s onboard computers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, together with EASA, has mandated all airlines to update their software. EASA highlighted that this could cause “short-term disruptions” to flight schedules.
Currently, over 500 U.S.-registered aircraft will be affected by this.
Airbus CEO, Guillaume Faury, issued an apology to customers for the “significant logistical challenge and delays” brought about by the repairs. In a message on LinkedIn on Saturday, he mentioned, “Our team is working around the clock to support our operators and ensure these updates are deployed as quickly as possible to get the aircraft back in the sky, resume normal operations, and provide the safety assurance you expect from Airbus.”
This situation arises as U.S. travelers begin their journey back home after the Thanksgiving holiday, one of the busiest travel periods in America.
American Airlines owns approximately 480 A320 series aircraft, with 209 of them being affected. The airline stated that the majority of aircraft repairs will take about two hours, and most updates are expected to be completed by Friday. A few aircraft will require until Saturday to finish updating.
The company emphasized that safety is the top priority and anticipates some delays but is striving to minimize flight cancellations.
Delta Airlines projects that fewer than 50 of their aircraft will be impacted. United Airlines mentioned that 6 aircraft are affected, with some flights expected to experience minor disruptions. Hawaiian Airlines reported no impact on their operations.
All Nippon Airways, with over 30 aircraft, canceled 65 domestic flights on Saturday and may cancel more on Sunday.
Air India stated that their engineers are working diligently to resolve software issues, with over 40% of the aircraft requiring resets already completed without any flight cancellations.
French Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, informed BFM TV that stability has been restored to the situation after multiple software updates have been implemented, minimizing the impact on France, with “French airports almost completely back to normal.”
In the UK, the software update has minimal effects on flights, as British Airways mentioned that only three aircraft require system upgrades, while EasyJet noted that the upgrade might lead to adjustments in flight schedules, with passengers being notified in due course.
Lufthansa indicated that a significant portion of software updates has been completed during the night and Saturday morning. Lufthansa Group does not anticipate any flight cancellations due to the current situation but minor delays may occur over the weekend.
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) confirmed the normal operation of their flights on Saturday following the installation of the necessary software by their team overnight.
Airbus, registered in the Netherlands but headquartered in France, is one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers alongside Boeing. The A320 serves as a major competitor to Boeing 737. According to Airbus’ official website, the A320 is the best-selling single-aisle aircraft series globally.
(Credit to the Associated Press for reference)