leading to delays around the world. Around 6,000 A320 aircraft are believed to be affected — half of the European manufacturer’s global fleet — although most are expected to return to service after a quick software update.

The UK’s aviation regulator said there would be “some disruption and flight cancellations”, though the impact at airports appears to be limited so far. Airbus identified the issue after investigating an incident in October in which an aircraft flying between the US and Mexico suddenly lost altitude. The JetBlue Airways flight made an emergency landing in Florida after at least 15 people were injured.

In addition to the A320 — the company’s best-selling model — the vulnerability also affects the A318, A319, and A321. For roughly 5,100 aircraft, the issue can be resolved with a relatively simple software update that typically takes about three hours. However, the remaining 900, which are older variants, will require physical replacement of their onboard computers and will not be allowed to carry passengers again until the work is complete.

The length of time needed will depend on the availability of replacement computers. Airbus acknowledged that this will cause “operational disruption for passengers and customers” and has apologised. Aviation analyst Sally Gethin told BBC News that the situation is “highly unusual”, noting that the level of disruption passengers face will depend on the “different approaches” airlines take to update their systems. In the UK, airport disruption has so far been limited: Gatwick Airport reported “some disruption”, while Heathrow said it had seen no cancellations. Manchester Airport said it does not anticipate significant issues. (BBC)