Airlines globally have experienced cancellations and delays in flights ahead of the weekend due to a recall impacting Airbus’s A320 family of jets. On Friday, Airbus announced the need for immediate repairs to approximately 6,000 of its A320 aircraft, which constitutes more than half of the global fleet of this model. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a precautionary directive stating that safety is of utmost importance.
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also released an emergency airworthiness directive requiring specific software modifications for certain Airbus planes. The resolution largely involves transitioning to older software, which is relatively straightforward but must be completed prior to the planes returning to service.
While a subset of the affected jets will require more extensive hardware changes, Airbus indicated that the number needing these comprehensive repairs is lower than initially estimated. This recall is noted to be one of the biggest in Airbus’s 55-year history and follows the recent achievement where the A320 surpassed the Boeing 737 in deliveries. At the time of the announcement, around 3,000 A320 family jets were actively flying.
Various airlines are experiencing impacts; Delta anticipates fewer than 50 of its A321neo aircraft will be affected, while United noted six planes in its fleet would require attention. American Airlines reported that 209 out of 480 A320 aircraft need repairs, which they expect to complete quickly.
In Australia, Jetstar had to cancel 90 flights due to the recall, stranding passengers at various airports. Additionally, ANA Holdings in Japan canceled 65 domestic flights, with the potential for further disruptions. Airlines worldwide, including Lufthansa and easyJet, plan to address the necessary repairs, although the situation has created operational challenges for many.
The recall was prompted by an incident involving a JetBlue flight, raising concerns about data integrity related to flight control systems under certain solar conditions. The ongoing scenario illustrates the pressure on airline maintenance operations amid existing demands.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/nov/28/airbus-issues-major-a320-recall-after-recent-mid-air-incident