Airbus A320 Fleet Faces Potential Grounding for Software Update Following JetBlue Incident
WASHINGTON D.C. - Airbus has issued a precautionary alert to operators of A320 family aircraft worldwide, potentially grounding a important portion of the fleet for a software update.The action follows an incident on a JetBlue flight where a computer issue triggered a sudden, uncommanded descent, prompting investigations into a potential vulnerability related to intense solar radiation corrupting flight control data.
The issue affects Airbus A320 family aircraft – including the A319, A320, and A321 models – and stems from concerns that strong solar flares could disrupt critical flight control systems.While the exact scope of the disruption remains unclear,airbus has acknowledged the recommended software and/or hardware protection measures will “lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers.” The Federal aviation Administration (FAA) is currently working with Airbus on a plan to address the issue, with the expectation that each aircraft will require several hours for the update.
According to aviation analyst JonNYC (@xJonc on Twitter), the issue is confirmed as requiring a software update. “I consider this fully confirmed at this point. ELAC , software update needed,” he posted on November 28, 2025. “Should take a couple hours for each plane, will take longer on some than others. Plan with FAA being worked on now.”
Airbus stated that it has “worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly.” The companyS statement described the potential for data corruption in flight controls due to “intense solar radiation.”
The potential grounding echoes concerns raised after the 2018 and 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crashes, which were linked to a faulty Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). Though, initial assessments suggest the current Airbus issue is less severe, with expectations of “minor and phased” cancellations unless the problem proves more significant. As of November 28,2025,flights scheduled for tomorrow utilizing the affected aircraft have not yet shown cancellations. Specific details regarding timing and flight cancellations are expected to be released shortly.
