Airbus Software Glitch Allegedly Caused by Solar Flare; Airlines Now Urged To Use Older, But Stable Version

Airlines and regulators are racing to respond after an Airbus software glitch surfaced in late October, raising concern across the aviation sector. The issue emerged when an Airbus A320-family jet behaved unpredictably during a routine flight.

It happened on 30 October 2025, and it involved a system used to calculate the aircraft's angle of attack. Early checks now point to a solar flare disrupting sensitive data.

The discovery pushed authorities to order urgent fixes and prompted a global review of the Airbus software involved. How the glitch formed under rare space-weather conditions is now a central question for investigators.

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Airbus Software Glitch Blamed on Solar Flare

The problem became public after a JetBlue flight from Cancún to Newark suddenly lost altitude on 30 October. Ten passengers were injured during the drop, though the aircraft landed safely.

The Airbus A320-family has more than 11,000 jets in service, and each one uses the same system to measure its nose angle.

Investigators reported that the JetBlue aircraft was exposed to intense solar radiation. The radiation corrupted a key part of the Airbus software responsible for interpreting angle-of-attack data.

The aircraft then pitched down without pilot input. Regulators said the fault was tied to software, not hardware. They noted that it could only occur under rare conditions involving strong solar activity.

Officials stressed that the incident was not comparable to previous high-profile design failures in other aircraft types.

Initial assessments found that the solar flare interfered with a vulnerable code segment. The exposure disrupted data integrity and triggered the incorrect flight-control response.

This finding led authorities to widen the review and alert all operators using the affected software version.

Airlines Urged To Use Older Software Version

Regulators acted within 24 hours of confirming the glitch. Agencies instructed all Airbus A320-family operators to revert to an older and stable software version.

The FAA and EASA issued matching emergency airworthiness directives, and carriers began rolling back updates immediately.

Officials said the order aimed to maintain stability during the busy travel season. They warned that corrupted angle-of-attack data could affect flight-control performance.

Transport Secretary Sean Duffy assured travellers that airlines were meeting the required deadlines. He said passengers should not expect major disruption while the rollback continued.

Authorities stated that the directive was a precaution. They emphasised that the older version did not share the vulnerability linked to the solar flare

Airlines were told to keep using the previous release until full analysis is completed.

Airbus Updated Most Jets

Airbus launched the largest recall in its 55-year history after confirming the issue. The company ordered immediate updates for about 6,000 A320-family aircraft.

This accounted for more than half of the global fleet. Airbus said most software fixes were completed quickly. Each rollback took around two to three hours per aircraft.

Chief Executive Guillaume Faury apologised to customers and said teams were working around the clock to support airlines.

Between 900 and 1,000 older jets need hardware changes. These aircraft will face longer downtime. Analysts estimate that as many as 15% of affected jets may still require this additional work.

Most airlines reported minimal disruption. American Airlines had four jets awaiting final checks. IndiGo confirmed that 160 of its 200 aircraft were cleared.

easyJet and Wizz Air finished updates without cancellations. The UK Civil Aviation Authority said only a small number of UK flights were affected.

Some regions experienced more difficulty. JetBlue cancelled 70 flights and expects most of its fleet back by 30 November. Avianca paused ticket sales until 8 December after confirming high fleet impact.

Japan's ANA cancelled 95 flights, affecting thousands of passengers. Jetstar and Air New Zealand also grounded several jets during the initial response.

The incident highlighted the broader challenge of managing software-dependent systems in modern aviation, especially when exposed to rare but powerful solar events.