Most A320s back in service after solar radiation software issue
Airbus has reported that the majority of A320 and A320neo aircraft have returned to operation after being grounded suddenly on 28 November.
A safety alert was issued after a JetBlue A320 experienced an uncontrolled descent lasting for several seconds during a flight from Newark to Cancun on 30 October. Airbus’s subsequent investigation found that intense solar radiation was corrupting critical flight control data, forcing thousands of A320s across the world to be recalled for updates.
The manufacturer said on 1 December that fewer than 100 of the 6,000-strong fleet were still undergoing upgrades. For most aircraft, a simple software update was all that was required, but some older models require a more time-consuming hardware installation.
Around 60% of the world’s 9,900 active A320s and sister models were affected by the grounding. 2025 is a peak year in the solar weather cycle, which caused the unusually intense solar radiation that affected JetBlue’s flight.
In the wake of the disruption, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury issued an apology on LinkedIn, stating:
I want to sincerely apologise to our airline customers and passengers who are impacted now. But we consider that nothing is more important than safety when people fly on one of our Airbus Aircraft – like millions do every day.
Our teams are working around the clock to support our operators and ensure these updates are deployed as swiftly as possible to get planes back in the sky and resume normal operations, with the safety assurance you expect from Airbus.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026, where Airbus Chief Technology Officer Dr Sabine Klauke will be speaking.
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