Airbus Orders Urgent A320 Software Recall as Solar-Radiation Glitch Threatens Global Travel – Plus New A350F, Engine and Sustainability Updates

Published: November 28, 2025

Airbus is racing to manage one of the largest safety-driven actions in its history after ordering an urgent software recall on thousands of A320-family jets, following the discovery that intense solar radiation can corrupt flight‑control data. At the same time, the European planemaker has introduced new cold‑weather restrictions for aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines and pushed ahead with its A350 freighter and sustainability programmes, making November 28 a pivotal news day for the company. ^[1]

Airbus A320 Software Recall: What Happened and Why It Matters

A rare solar-radiation glitch in the flight-control computer

The immediate trigger for today’s A320 safety action is a rare but serious vulnerability in the elevator aileron computer (ELAC), a key flight‑control unit that manages pitch and roll on A320‑family aircraft.

Airbus says that analysis of a “recent event” involving an A320-family jet showed that intense solar radiation can corrupt data critical to the functioning of the flight controls. ^[2]

Investigations by European regulators and industry sources link that event to an October 30 JetBlue A320 flight from Cancun to Newark that briefly went into an uncontrolled descent before the autopilot corrected the trajectory. French investigators indicated the problem was associated with the ELAC unit. ^[3]

While no fatalities were reported, the incident was serious enough to trigger a sweeping review of how the A320’s digital flight-control system behaves under extreme “space weather” conditions.

The scale: around 6,000 A320-family jets affected

According to Airbus and industry sources cited by Reuters and FlightGlobal, the company is ordering an immediate software change on a “significant number” of A320-family jets — about 6,000 aircraft, or more than half of the roughly 11,300 A320‑family aircraft currently in service worldwide. ^[4]

This makes the action one of the largest fleet-wide software interventions ever undertaken on a modern commercial aircraft type.

Emergency directive: repairs must be done before the next flight

The company has issued an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) to airlines, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is issuing an emergency airworthiness directive to make compliance mandatory. ^[5]

A bulletin seen by Reuters states that affected A320s must not carry passengers again until the software fix is applied, with only limited exceptions for repositioning flights to maintenance bases. ^[6]

Key points of the directive:

Immediate action: Software on the ELAC units must be reverted to a safer previous version or updated to an approved protected standard.
Limited ferry flights only: Aircraft may only fly to a repair facility under strict conditions if the update cannot be completed where they are parked. ^[7]
Potential hardware changes: Hundreds of jets may also require hardware modifications, leading to longer groundings compared with a simple software rollback. ^[8]

EASA warns that, if left uncorrected, a malfunction of the ELAC could in the worst case lead to an uncommanded elevator movement and potentially exceed the structural limits of the aircraft — an unacceptable risk in commercial service. ^[9]

Airbus’ position: disruption now to avoid bigger risks later

In its official statement, Airbus stresses that the action is precautionary, and that the fleet remains safe to operate once the protections are installed. It also openly acknowledges that the recommended measures “will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers” and apologises for the inconvenience, repeating that safety is the company’s “number one and overriding priority.” ^[10]

The company is working “proactively with the aviation authorities” and with airlines to sequence the updates as quickly as possible while keeping global flight schedules running.

What Travellers Can Expect: Delays, Cancellations and Busy Airports

Airlines brace for a choppy weekend

Because the A320 family is the workhorse narrow‑body for airlines in Europe, Asia and many other markets, the timing of the recall is especially sensitive: it lands directly on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year in the United States and overlaps peak late‑autumn traffic in Europe. ^[11]

Early reactions show the scale of disruption:

American Airlines says the software issue affects about 340 of its Airbus jets and has warned of some delays as it rushes through updates, though it expects most modifications to be completed in “today or tomorrow.” ^[12]
Wizz Air confirms some of its aircraft are subject to the software change, with the low‑cost carrier already warning that “some flights over the weekend may be affected.” ^[13]
European and UK carriers, including easyJet and British Airways, are preparing for possible cancellations and schedule changes as their A320 fleets cycle through the updates. Travel media estimate that millions of passengerscould be impacted if large portions of the fleet are grounded simultaneously for modifications. ^[14]

Travel advice: how to minimise disruption

Consumer and travel outlets are already offering guidance to passengers booked to fly on A320‑family aircraft over the next few days:

Check your flight status frequently via airline apps and airport websites; schedules may change at short notice. ^[15]
Allow extra time at airports, especially at major hubs where multiple carriers operate A320 fleets.
Look out for flexible rebooking options. Many airlines typically offer free changes or refunds when disruption is caused by operational issues outside passengers’ control.
Don’t panic about safety. Regulators have acted precisely to prevent future incidents; the recall is a sign that the system is working as designed when hazards are discovered. ^[16]

For now, the disruption is expected to be sharp but relatively short‑lived for aircraft that only need a software rollback — often a matter of a couple of hours. Aircraft requiring hardware interventions, however, could be out of service for weeks, potentially prolonging schedule adjustments into December. ^[17]

Separate Issue: New Cold-Weather Limits for Jets With Pratt & Whitney Engines

On the same day as the A320 recall, Airbus also confirmed a new operational limitation for some of its narrow‑body aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) engines.

According to Reuters and related financial reports, Airbus has restricted operations in extreme cold for certain A320‑family aircraft equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines. Updated procedures cover how engines are operated on the ground in icing conditions, especially in scenarios such as freezing fog with very low visibility (below around 150 m). ^[18]

Key points:

The restrictions apply only to a subset of Airbus narrow‑bodies fitted with specific Pratt & Whitney GTF models, not the entire Airbus fleet. ^[19]
In severe icing and low‑visibility conditions, take‑off options may be limited or delayed while engines are managed within the new guidelines.
Airbus is in close contact with affected airlines, and Pratt & Whitney is working on a longer‑term technical solution. ^[20]

This cold‑weather action is separate from the solar‑radiation ELAC software issue, but together the two stories underline how environmental factors — from high‑altitude cosmic radiation to ground‑level icing — are driving increasingly sophisticated risk management in modern aviation.

A350 Freighter: Prototype Nears Test Flights as Certification Work Starts Early

Amid the safety headlines, Airbus is also moving forward with a key growth programme: the A350F freighter, its new-generation wide‑body cargo aircraft.

Prototype and final assembly milestone

Freight-focused outlets report that Airbus has finalised the first A350F prototype structure and is preparing the aircraft for test flights and certification trials. The programme has already accumulated around 82 customer orders, positioning it as a major challenger in the long-haul cargo market. ^[21]

A separate report indicates that final assembly of the A350F is under way in Toulouse, with the large main deck cargo door expected to be installed early next year. ^[22]

Certification target: Q2 2027, lessons from A321XLR

FlightGlobal reports that Airbus is starting the A350F certification process unusually early, drawing lessons from the more complex approval path of the A321XLR. The company is aiming for EASA certification in the second quarter of 2027. ^[23]

Guillaume Vuillermoz, head of widebody programme development, notes that certifying derivatives of existing aircraft is now more demanding than a decade ago, prompting Airbus to pull certification work forward by about a year and align the A350F with the latest EASA regulatory amendment level. ^[24]

Growing order book: Silk Way West doubles down

On the commercial side, Silk Way West Airlines recently firmed up orders for two additional A350F freighters, bringing its total to four and confirming the type as the backbone of its future cargo fleet. The airline highlights both fuel efficiency and lower emissions as major reasons for backing the A350F. ^[25]

Taken together, today’s A350F news signals that Airbus is keeping long‑term product development on track even as it handles immediate safety and operational challenges in its single‑aisle portfolio.

Software, Sustainability and Carbon Removal: Airbus’ Broader Strategic Moves

New Critical FlyTech joint venture underlines software focus

Software sits at the heart of almost every major Airbus story today — from ELAC flight‑control code to engine operating procedures. In parallel, Airbus is building up its long‑term software capabilities.

On November 24, Airbus and Portugal’s Critical Software announced Critical FlyTech, a new joint venture (51% Airbus / 49% Critical) headquartered in Coimbra with an additional office in Lisbon. The JV will develop high‑assurance, safety‑critical embedded software for avionics, cabin systems, and connectivity across Airbus platforms, with a planned growth from 120 to about 300 employees by 2028. ^[26]

That investment now looks even more relevant as regulators and airlines demand ever more robust digital systems and faster responses when vulnerabilities are found.

Airbus’ sustainability push: SAF, circularity and net-zero targets

On the environmental front, a new feature published today by Manufacturing Digital spotlights Airbus’ “bid to make aviation manufacturing more sustainable.” The article highlights: ^[27]

Science Based Targets initiative‑validated goals, including:
- 63% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030
- 46% reduction in Scope 3 emissions intensity by 2035 (vs. 2015 baseline)
A heavy focus on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with all Airbus aircraft and helicopters targeted to be capable of flying on 100% SAF by 2030 (today, up to 50% SAF blends are certified).
A circular economy approach to aircraft design, with aims such as a 20% reduction in waste collection and zero landfilling or incineration without energy recovery by 2030.

CEO Guillaume Faury and Chief Sustainability Officer Julie Kitcher both underscore that Airbus links fleet renewal, SAF adoption and high standards of business integrity as pillars of its net‑zero‑by‑2050 strategy. ^[28]

Emerging climate tech: direct air capture in Canada

While full details are behind an inaccessible page, reporting from Carbon Herald indicates that Airbus has also launched a novel direct air capture (DAC) system at the Deep Sky “Alpha” facility in Canada, positioning carbon removal technologies alongside SAF and hydrogen as part of its decarbonisation toolkit. ^[29]

Although still at pilot scale, DAC partnerships are increasingly viewed by airlines and manufacturers as a future complement to emissions reductions, especially for hard‑to‑abate long‑haul operations.

Airbus in Action: A400M and Humanitarian Operations

Outside the corporate and regulatory sphere, Airbus aircraft continue to play high‑profile roles in real‑world operations.

Coverage today of a flood‑relief mission in North Sumatra notes that an Airbus A400M tactical airlifter has flown its first aid sorties into the region, delivering relief cargo to areas cut off by severe flooding. ^[30]

While not a direct Airbus corporate announcement, such missions are central to the image of the A400M as a heavy‑lift platform designed not only for military tasks but also for humanitarian support.

What Today’s News Tells Us About Airbus and Modern Aviation

For Airbus, November 28, 2025, offers a snapshot of the complex balancing act facing any major aerospace manufacturer:

Safety and reliability under the microscope
The A320 software recall and Pratt & Whitney cold‑weather restrictions show how emerging risks — from solar radiation to icing conditions — can force large‑scale operational changes, even on mature platforms. The upside: the system of incident reporting, investigation and airworthiness directives is functioning exactly as intended, catching edge‑case hazards before they become systemic. ^[31]
Certification pressure meets long-term product strategy
The A350F programme demonstrates how Airbus is investing ahead of demand in cargo and seeking to front‑load certification work under tougher regulatory expectations, rather than treating freighters as simple derivatives of passenger jets. ^[32]
Decarbonisation is no longer optional
Sustainability reporting and initiatives — from SAF roadmaps and hydrogen fuel cells to DAC pilots — show that Airbus is positioning itself not just as an aircraft manufacturer, but as a systems player in aviation’s energy transition. ^[33]
Software is as strategic as metal and composites
The same day that a software vulnerability forces thousands of jets into the hangar, Airbus announces investments in specialised software engineering capacity via Critical FlyTech. The message is clear: future competitiveness will be as much about code quality and digital assurance as about aerodynamics or materials science. ^[34]

Key Facts at a Glance

Date of major actions: November 28, 2025
A320 recall: ~6,000 A320-family jets require immediate software changes to protect against solar‑radiation‑induced corruption of flight‑control data. ^[35]
Directive severity: Repairs must be completed before the next passenger flight, with limited allowances for repositioning flights. ^[36]
Airline impact: American Airlines alone expects about 340 aircraft affected; Wizz Air and others warn of weekend disruptions. ^[37]
Additional safety action: Separate cold‑weather operating restrictions introduced for some Airbus jets with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, affecting operations in severe icing and low visibility. ^[38]
Growth and sustainability: Airbus advances its A350F freighter, expands software capabilities through Critical FlyTech, and doubles down on decarbonisation via SAF, hydrogen and emerging DAC technology. ^[39]

How smoothly Airbus and its customers execute the A320 fixes over the coming days will shape both the travel experience for millions of passengers and perceptions of the company’s safety culture. At the same time, today’s parallel headlines on engines, freighters and climate strategy show a manufacturer trying to manage the turbulence of the present while still flying toward a very different future for aviation.