Airbus has issued an urgent recall for 6,000 A320 jets – one of the largest safety actions in aviation history – disrupting Thanksgiving travel across three continents as of November 29, 2025. The software-related recall affects more than half of the world's A320 fleet, with immediate grounding requirements causing cascading delays during peak holiday travel.
Global Aviation Network Strained
Major carriers including American Airlines, Lufthansa, and IndiGo reported operational chaos as they rushed to revert flight control software to older versions. While Airbus claims the fix takes two hours per plane, airlines face compounded challenges from maintenance backlogs and labor shortages. Over 1,000 jets may require additional hardware replacements, according to industry sources.
Incident Triggers Urgent Action
The recall follows a JetBlue flight incident on October 30, 2025, where solar flare-induced software corruption allegedly caused sudden altitude loss over the Caribbean. Airbus engineers identified potential data corruption risks in current flight control systems, prompting the unprecedented safety measure.
Travel Impacts Continue
Colombia's Avianca suspended ticket sales through December 8, while Air New Zealand and Mexico's Volaris warned of multi-day disruptions. Although U.S. carriers expect partial recovery by November 30, international operators face extended operational challenges during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
