European aircraft manufacturer Airbus announced on Friday, November 28, the recall of some 6,000 A320 aircraft to urgently replace control software vulnerable to solar radiation, following an incident in the United States at the end of October. Several airlines have already canceled flights.

Airbus recalled some of its A320s after an accident involving JetBlue. Here, the same Airbus model departs Tampa International Airport in Florida on May 15, 2014. AP - Chris O'Meara

The Airbus Group announced in a statement that it had asked all customers using this software to "immediately stop flights " following the analysis of the technical incident that occurred on October 30. A JetBlue plane departing from Cancun, Mexico , and heading to Newark, near New York, was forced to make an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida. The analysis of the incident " revealed that intense solar radiation could corrupt data essential to the operation of the flight controls ," the European group reported.

For most of the 6,000 aircraft recalled by Airbus, the software update from the previous version will take " a few hours ." But for some 1,000 aircraft, it will involve changing the computer hardware, " which will take weeks ," a source close to the matter told AFP.

A plane flying between Mexico and the United States suddenly nosedived

The component that needs replacing is an elevator-aileron control computer (ELAC) manufactured by Thales. This Airbus supplier told AFP that it was not responsible for the problem. " The functionality in question is supported by software that is not Thales' responsibility ," the French electronics group stated .

Airbus did not specify which company designed and was updating the software. The group " acknowledges that these recommendations will cause operational disruptions for passengers and customers ." " We apologize for any inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while maintaining safety as our absolute and paramount priority ," the European aircraft manufacturer added.

The October 30 incident occurred during the cruise phase when, over the Gulf of Mexico, the aircraft suddenly pitched downwards without any intervention from the pilots. They initiated the descent and then landed the plane. Tampa firefighters reported to US media that some passengers were injured. JetBlue did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.

Flight cancellations and disruptions

The Airbus A320, which entered service in 1988, is the world's best-selling aircraft. In September, it dethroned the single-aisle 737 from the American manufacturer Boeing , the first of which was delivered in 1968. By the end of September, Airbus had delivered 12,257 A320s (including business class versions) compared to 12,254 Boeing 737s.

Many airlines have already canceled flights as a result of the recall. Air France indicated that it had canceled 35 flights on Friday, November 28, following the Airbus recall, and was still counting the exact number for Saturday. " Customers affected by cancellations are being notified individually by SMS and email ," a spokesperson stated.

American Airlines indicated that it had already begun updating the navigation software after receiving the notification on Friday. The airline anticipates that the update will have been completed on " the vast majority " of the approximately 340 affected A320 aircraft (out of a total fleet of 480) by Saturday. " Some delays " are expected due to these adjustments. Also contacted by AFP, its American rival United Airlines stated that it was not " affected " by the defect, without providing further details, although it operates several A320s.

Some airlines are particularly affected. Colombian carrier Avianca, for example, estimates that 70% of its fleet is impacted and anticipates " significant disruptions in the next ten days ," it stated in a press release. Ticket sales are suspended until December 8.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said in a statement that it had been informed by Airbus. " These measures could cause short-term disruptions to flight schedules, and therefore inconvenience for passengers. However, as is always the case in aviation, safety takes precedence over everything ," it wrote.

This is another blow for the A320 family, the European manufacturer's best-selling aircraft. Just a few months ago, hundreds of its planes had to be grounded due to engine failures.