Flights return to normal after software update warning

Thousands of Airbus planes are returning to normal service after being briefly grounded following warnings that solar radiation could interfere with onboard computers.

The France-based aerospace giant said about 6,000 of its A320 aircraft were affected, with most requiring quick software updates. Approximately 900 older aircraft require computer replacement.

On Saturday, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the update of more than 5,000 aircraft was “very smooth” and that fewer than 100 aircraft still needed to be updated.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury apologized for what he called “logistical challenges and delays.”

He said the team is working hard to ensure the update is completed “as quickly as possible.”

Several Air France flights in and out of Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport were delayed or canceled on Saturday morning.

American said it expected “operational delays” but added that the vast majority of updates would be completed by Saturday.

Delta Air Lines said it believed the impact on its operations would be limited.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority said airlines operating in the country were working through the night to carry out updates and air traffic had not been seriously affected.

London Gatwick Airport reported “some disruption” while Heathrow Airport said it had not experienced any flight cancellations.

Manchester Airport said it expected no major problems, while Luton Airport said there would be “no expected impact”.

It is understood that British Airways and Air India have not been severely affected by the problem.

On Saturday, easyJet said it had completed updating a “significant number” of its aircraft and planned to operate as normal.

Wizz Air is also up and running, with updates rolling out overnight.

In Australia, budget airline Jetstar canceled 90 flights. Most of its aircraft have now been updated, but some disruption is expected over the weekend.

Air New Zealand grounded its A320 aircraft, but all flights have now resumed after the update was completed.

Airbus discovered the problem in October after a JetBlue plane flying between the United States and Mexico suddenly lost altitude and made an emergency landing. At least 15 people were injured.

The company discovered problems with the plane’s calculation software that calculates its altitude, and found that at high altitudes the data could be corrupted by the intense radiation that the sun regularly releases.

In addition to the company’s best-selling aircraft, the A320, the A318, A319 and A321 models are also affected.

Older planes in need of new computers remain grounded. How long replacement takes depends on computer availability.