Jetstar hit hardest as Airbus A320 safety recall grounds 34 aircraft, triggers cancellations across Australia

Airbus has issued an urgent global safety directive that could leave thousands of passenger jets temporarily grounded, triggering widespread travel disruption as airlines work to upgrade flight-control software across the A320 fleet.

The manufacturer warned that around 6,000 A320-family aircraft currently in service will require software replacement after a serious mid-air incident last month, raising alarms about a vulnerability affecting flight-control computers. In Australia, Jetstar has confirmed it is among the carriers impacted — and that the fallout is escalating.

“Due to an issue affecting Airbus A320 operators globally, some of Jetstar’s Airbus-operated flights are unable to depart at this stage,” a Jetstar spokesperson said.

In a more detailed statement to The Nightly, the airline confirmed cancellations and delays are now occurring across its network.

“Jetstar is impacted by an Airbus fleet software issue that’s affecting all A320 family operators globally.

“Safety is our number one priority. To respond to a precautionary action from Airbus, we have cancelled some Jetstar Airways flights.

“Our teams are working on options to get customers on their way as quickly as possible and are contacting affected customers directly.”

The spokesperson added they would “continue to provide updates” as the situation evolves.

Jetstar later confirmed the scale of the disruption: 34 of its 85 Airbus A320/1 aircraft are affected, with work already completed on several jets. The airline has cancelled approximately 90 flights, and a number of services have been delayed, warning the issue may cause further minor disruptions tomorrow.

Customers are being contacted directly, and additional information is available on Jetstar’s travel alert page.

“We thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we worked to get them on their way as soon as possible,” the airline said.

Qantas aircraft are understood to be unaffected, while Virgin Australia has yet to confirm impacts.

The directive was issued on Friday after Airbus analysed a JetBlue incident in which an A320 suddenly pitched down during a flight from Cancun to Newark on October 30, forcing pilots to divert to Tampa, Florida. Local firefighters told US media several passengers were injured.

Airbus warned the root cause lies in a software vulnerability involving the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC), built by defence and aerospace firm Thales. “Intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls,” the manufacturer stated, adding that “a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service” may be affected.

Most aircraft will only require a few hours of work, but a source close to the issue told AFP that around 1,000 planes may take weeks to return to service.

“Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers,” the company said, apologising for the delays.

The A320 family remains Airbus’s most successful line, with 12,257 aircraft sold — marginally ahead of Boeing’s 737 at 12,254.