Around 6,000 A320 aircraft, around half of Airbus’s global fleet, have been told not to fly as they need immediate replacement of the computer control software.

It is understood that most will be able to fly again after undergoing a quick software update. However, some 900 aircraft, which are older A320 versions, will need to have onboard computers physically replaced, and will not be allowed to carry passengers again until completed.

This serious issue arose after an “incident” in the United States on a JetBlue plane at the end of October, a spokesman for the European aerospace company has confirmed.

Airbus on Friday, November 28, informed all its customers using this software to immediately stop flying after analysis of this technical incident revealed that intense solar radiation could degrade data essential for the operation of flight control systems.

Most airlines have stated that they are expecting little disruption to flights, but as yet, the full impact of the issue is not known.

Those who have flights booked, especially over the weekend, are advised to check with their airline.