• Airbus has announced immediate software modifications for approximately 6,000 A320 aircraft due to safety concerns over solar radiation affecting flight controls.
• The update process will take a few hours for most planes, but for about 1,000 aircraft, it may take weeks.
• Travel disruptions are expected globally, particularly impacting airlines during busy travel periods like Thanksgiving.
• Air France and American Airlines have reported cancellations, while EasyJet and Delta anticipate minimal impacts.
• The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has emphasized that safety is the top priority in addressing the software concerns.

Airbus has requested immediate modifications to approximately 6,000 A320 aircraft after discovering that intense solar radiation could corrupt crucial flight control data. This warning came following an incident on October 30 involving a JetBlue Airways A320, which made an emergency landing in Florida after a sudden drop in altitude, injuring at least 15 passengers. Most affected planes will require a simple software update, while around 1,000 older versions will need hardware replacements, leading to significant expected operational disruptions for several airlines around the globe, according to BBC, Le Monde, and Los Angeles Times.

Airlines have been instructed to implement these software changes promptly. However, while most updates should take only a few hours, some airlines expect delays. American Airlines, which operates about 480 planes from the A320 family, reported that about 209 aircraft would need modifications, and that the vast majority of updates were expected to be completed over the weekend. Delta Air Lines similarly indicated it would face minor disruptions, while EasyJet anticipated limited impact, having processed updates for many of its aircraft already, as per reports from Le Monde and BBC.

As of Saturday, some airlines began experiencing disruptions. Air France canceled multiple flights and expected more cancellations as they assessed the impact of the Airbus update. In contrast, other carriers such as Lufthansa reported that most of the software updates were completed without issues. The situation remained particularly challenging in Latin America and Asia, where airlines like Avianca warned of "significant disruptions" and offered refunds or rebooked tickets to affected passengers, according to The Jakarta Post and The Local.

Despite the issues, officials expressed optimism about the situation's resolution. French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot stated that the updates were progressing smoothly for most aircraft, noting that fewer than initially expected might require extensive modifications. This quick response from Airbus aims to minimize travel disruptions during busy periods, such as the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., which is characterized by heavy air traffic, according to Le Monde and BBC.