Airbus Discovers New Problem Impacting Popular A320 Passenger Planes
Airbus has announced a new issue affecting a limited number of metal panels in its A320 passenger aircraft. The company made this revelation on Monday, just days after addressing another technical problem that impacted some of its planes.
Details of the New A320 Issue
A spokesperson for Airbus stated that the firm is currently conducting inspections on the aircraft potentially impacted by what is described as a supplier quality issue. While the problem has been identified and contained, the spokesperson emphasized that only a few planes might require further action.
Market Reaction
Following the news of this issue, Airbus’s stock experienced a decline, with shares falling by 5.7%. This drop compounded previous losses, highlighting investor concerns.
Previous Technical Challenges
Airbus had recently faced scrutiny over a software fix required for its A320 series. Intense solar storms, specifically solar flares, were found to potentially disrupt critical data used in flight controls. An emergency landing incident involving JetBlue Flight 1230 raised alarms, prompting urgent maintenance on around 6,000 single-aisle A320 aircraft worldwide.
Recent Incident Involving JetBlue
On October 30, JetBlue Flight 1230, while en route from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, experienced a sudden altitude drop. This incident necessitated an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, resulting in injuries to approximately 15 passengers.
Safety Measures and Airline Response
- JetBlue confirmed it has resumed normal operations following emergency software updates.
- The airline expressed gratitude to its crew for their efforts in implementing updates promptly.
- JetBlue does not expect further cancellations related to these adjustments.
Airbus has reported that the vast majority of the affected 6,000 planes have undergone necessary modifications. The company is working with airlines to complete updates on the fewer than 100 remaining aircraft still requiring attention.
