Airbus issues urgent directives after discovering solar radiation can corrupt A320 flight-control data.
Toulouse, France, 28 November 2025 — Airbus says a recent incident involving an A320 Family aircraft has shown that intense solar radiation can corrupt data essential to the operation of flight controls, prompting an urgent response across the global fleet.
According to the manufacturer, a significant number of in-service A320 Family aircraft may be susceptible to this issue. According AIRLIVE‘s sources, the issue could affect about 6,000 aircraft worldwide.
This follows a JetBlue A320 incident on October 30, in which a flight from Cancún to Newark “unexpectedly pitched downward without pilot input,” forcing a diversion to Tampa. Investigators determined that the aircraft’s Thales ELAC 2 flight-control computer had malfunctioned and was subsequently replaced.
Airbus has been working closely with aviation authorities and has issued an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) instructing airlines to take immediate precautionary measures, including the installation of available software and/or hardware protections to ensure continued flight safety.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expected to formalize these measures through an Emergency Airworthiness Directive.
The company acknowledges that the required actions may cause operational disruptions for airlines and passengers.
“We apologise for the inconvenience and are fully committed to supporting operators,” Airbus said, emphasizing that safety remains the company’s top priority.
UPDATE 19:10 UTC
EASA has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) for Airbus A320 family aircraft: “If not corrected, this condition could, in the worst-case scenario, lead to an uncommanded elevator movement that may exceed the aircraft’s structural capability.”
UPDATE 19:48 UTC
Air France is already grounding 41 aircraft.
UDPATE 19:59 UTC
American Airlines has already grounded 30 planes of its 343 A320 family aircraft.
