The planemaker Airbus issued a major recall on Friday that will affect hundreds of planes in the US, including some operated by American Airlines and Delta.
The company said it discovered a potential data corruption issue on many of its A320 jets.
In the statement, Airbus said that “intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls,” and that “a significant number of A320 Family aircraft” need immediate updates as a result.
“Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers,” it said.
A spokesperson for Airbus told Business Insider via email that the issue is tied to a “specific software version carried by A320 Family aircraft, some of which are operating in the US.”
The recall will impact hundreds of planes in the US, in addition to aircraft overseas. More than 1,600 aircraft from the A320 Family are in service in the US, including many operated by Delta, American Airlines, United, JetBlue, Frontier, and Spirit, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company.
American Airlines said in an updated statement Friday night that 209 aircraft were affected, down from the more than 340 that were initially identified. The company said it only had about 150 aircraft left to update as of 7 p.m. ET.
“We expect the overwhelming majority of those to be completed today and through the night, with only a handful remaining for completion tomorrow,” the company said.
American Airlines told Business Insider earlier on Friday that it expected the updates to take about two hours per aircraft.
Delta said the issue should only affect a “small portion” of its A321neo aircraft, fewer than 50 planes. Delta told Business Insider the work would be done “by Saturday morning through already planned aircraft maintenance touchpoints.”
A Frontier spokesperson said the company received the notice from Airbus and is evaluating the situation.
A spokesperson from United Airlines said the company has not been affected by the recall. Spokespeople from JetBlue and Spirit did not respond to a request for comment.
The recall comes during one of the peak holiday travel weekends, which could complicate schedules if aircraft need additional downtime. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is usually one of the busiest air travel days of the year.
It adds to what’s already been a difficult stretch for airlines and travelers. The government shutdown, which lasted from October to mid-November, resulted in numerous flight cancellations and delays in the weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Update: November 28, 2025 — This story has been updated to include an additional statement from American Airlines.
