Airbus has announced the urgent recall of 6,000 A320-family aircraft for immediate repairs. The move affects airlines around the world, including carriers in India. The company said the fix is simple, but aircraft must be repaired before they can return to service. Reuters first reported the recall.

This recall is one of the biggest in Airbus’s 55-year history. It comes only weeks after the A320 became the world’s most-delivered aircraft, surpassing Boeing’s 737. When Airbus issued its alert to more than 350 operators, around 3,000 A320-family jets were in the air.

Airlines Warn of Delays and Cancellations

Major carriers such as American Airlines and Wizz Air warned customers of possible delays and cancellations. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency called the recall “precautionary actions.”

Why Were the Jets Recalled?

Airbus said the recall follows a recent incident involving an A320 aircraft. According to the company, intense solar radiation can corrupt crucial data used by the plane’s flight-control systems.

Industry sources linked the recall to a JetBlue flight on October 30. The aircraft was flying from Cancun to Newark when it suddenly lost altitude. Several passengers were injured. The plane later made an emergency landing in Tampa after what was described as an uncommanded drop and a flight-control malfunction. The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation. JetBlue and the FAA did not comment on the recall.

Repairs Expected to Take Longer for Some Jets

The temporary groundings could stretch for days or weeks. Industry experts say more than 1,000 aircraft may need hardware replacements in addition to the software rollback.

The recall has disrupted operations worldwide. A Finnair passenger said their flight was delayed for almost an hour while the pilots checked which software version the aircraft used. Air New Zealand also warned customers about expected cancellations.

Air France said it would cancel 35 flights, roughly 5% of its daily schedule. Mexico’s Volaris reported that delays and cancellations could continue for up to 72 hours.