Brit holidaymakers brace for major flight disruptions after aircraft giant Airbus orders urgent recall of 6,000 planes amid safety fears. Millions face delays and cancellations as airlines scramble to fix software glitches.
Thousands of Airbus A320 Family Jets Affected
Airbus has flagged a critical software fault impacting up to 6,000 planes from its hugely popular A320 family – the backbone of short-haul holiday flights Brits rely on. The affected models include the A319, A320, and A321.
In a stark statement, Airbus revealed: “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in service which may be impacted.”
CAA Confirms Likely Flight Disruptions and Delays
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed passengers should expect flight cancellations and delays as airlines address the fault. Giancarlo Buono, director of aviation safety at CAA, urged travellers to check with their airline:
“Passengers should check with their airline whether their flights are affected. Airlines have a duty of care to look after passengers when a flight is delayed.”
JetBlue Incident Sparks Industry-Wide Safety Clampdown
The problem came to light after a terrifying incident on a JetBlue flight from Cancun to New Jersey in late October, when sudden aircraft jolts led to several passenger injuries. Investigations revealed that intense solar and cosmic radiation at high altitudes can disrupt the ELAC computer, crucial for controlling the plane’s elevators and ailerons, which steer pitch and roll.
Airlines Scramble to Update Software Amid Disruptions
- Budget giant Wizz Air confirmed some of its planes need urgent software updates, warning of possible weekend flight disruptions.
- EasyJet announced it expects delays and will notify affected customers, saying: “Safety is our highest priority.”
- British Airways reported minimal impact with only three aircraft involved.
- Air India also signalled potential delays.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has already issued an emergency airworthiness directive demanding fixes by November 29. The directive warns the glitch could cause uncommanded elevator movements, risking the aircraft’s structural integrity.
Experts Stress Safety First Despite Travel Chaos
A senior UK aviation source said, “It’s a serious issue but one which looks to be tackled very rapidly, and that in turn will exacerbate disruption to passengers. It’s a reminder that while passengers can take safety for granted, the aviation industry cannot. This is one of those rare occasions where decisive action is clearly needed to protect safety.”
