Airbus Addresses Software & manufacturing Issues, Stock dips
BLAGNAC (France) – Airbus has largely completed a software update for its A320 family aircraft, addressing potential interference from solar radiation on control systems. The company reports that the “vast majority” of the approximately 6,000 affected planes have received the necessary modifications and is working to address the fewer than 100 remaining. Airbus apologized for the disruption caused to passengers and airlines.
In addition to the software update, Airbus is also addressing a quality control issue with metal fuselage panels supplied by a subcontractor. the issue has been identified and contained, and the company is proactively inspecting all possibly affected aircraft, anticipating that only a portion will require further repair.
Despite these reassurances,Airbus stock experienced a important drop in Paris,initially falling 9% before closing down 5.14% at 193.42 euros (180.33 francs). The decline followed news of the manufacturing defect, which is reportedly delaying some deliveries, though there is no indication it has impacted planes currently in service.
The software update was prompted by an incident on october 30th, when a JetBlue flight experienced a sudden loss of altitude, injuring ten passengers. Aviation authorities mandated immediate repairs, leading to brief ground stops for roughly two-thirds of affected aircraft and significant weekend disruptions.
Several airlines experienced cancellations as a result. JetBlue canceled dozens of flights on Sunday, while ANA in Japan canceled 95 connections on Saturday, impacting 13,500 passengers. The issues also affected travel during the busy Thanksgiving weekend in the United States. However, Airbus states that most airline operations have now returned to normal.
