Paris: Airbus appears to be making steady progress in resolving a major software crisis that led to the recall of about six thousand A320 family aircraft worldwide. Airlines across several regions are now reporting that the majority of affected planes have returned to normal operations after rushing to roll back a flight control update linked to a mid air incident.
The problem surfaced after a JetBlue A320 experienced unusual aircraft behaviour while flying at altitude. Airbus engineers later confirmed that the issue was linked to a software vulnerability inside a computer system that manages flight controls. Under rare conditions including strong solar radiation the system could respond unpredictably prompting Airbus to issue an urgent safety directive.
The recall was one of the largest in commercial aviation history and affected almost half of all A320 aircraft currently flying. Airbus reacted quickly by recommending that operators revert to an older and proven version of the software. The company also issued a public apology led by its chief executive Guillaume Faury and promised stronger oversight of future software releases.
Despite initial fears of widespread delays most airlines have been able to continue operations with limited disruption. Major carriers in India including IndiGo Air India and Air India Express reported that they completed the required updates across more than three hundred aircraft in just over twenty four hours. Airlines in Europe and the United States have also restored most affected planes to service although some older aircraft will require full computer replacements instead of just a software change.
A few carriers including Avianca temporarily paused new bookings while checks continued but industry tracking shows that schedules are slowly stabilizing.
While the immediate crisis has eased experts say the incident highlights a growing reliance on complex digital systems in modern aircraft. Regulators and safety analysts are expected to review current oversight rules to ensure similar risks are avoided in the future.
For now Airbus has confirmed that most affected aircraft are operating normally again and that further updates will be issued once investigations are complete. The aviation sector will continue to watch developments closely as airlines evaluate any long term changes needed to maintain safety in an increasingly software driven era.