Jetstar Cancels 90 Flights Amid Global Airbus A320 Software Recall

Widespread Cancellations Hit Australian Airports

Jetstar, Australia's low-cost carrier, cancelled an estimated 90 domestic flights across the country on Saturday, November 29, 2025, causing significant disruption for thousands of travellers. The widespread cancellations were a direct consequence of a global directive from aircraft manufacturer Airbus, mandating an urgent software update for its A320 family of aircraft. Disruptions were anticipated to continue into Sunday, November 30, 2025, as the airline worked to resolve the issue.

Global Recall Triggered by Software Malfunction

The global recall by Airbus stemmed from a software vulnerability identified in the A320 family's flight-management guidance computer (FMGC). This issue, involving an interaction with the latest navigation-database architecture, could lead to corrupted flight-control data, potentially causing 'uncommanded and limited pitch down events' or 'abrupt nose-down movements'. The precautionary measure was initiated after an incident on October 30 involving a JetBlue A320 flight from Cancún, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, where several passengers sustained injuries following a sudden drop in altitude. Airbus stated that 'intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls,' prompting the immediate software changes. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an urgent instruction for operators to implement software modifications.

Jetstar's Response and Passenger Impact

Of Jetstar's fleet, 34 out of 85 Airbus A320/A321 aircraft were identified as requiring the software update. Engineers were able to perform the necessary software reversal on the ground, with each update taking approximately two to three hours per aircraft. Jetstar's Head of Flying Operations, Tyrone Simes, confirmed the impact at Melbourne Airport, stating that the airline expected the remaining affected aircraft to be ready for service overnight, aiming for flights to resume as planned on Sunday.

The cancellations primarily affected major domestic airports, including Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at the start of a busy travel weekend. Jetstar offered affected customers several options, including:

• One free change to their booked flight within seven days of their original booking.
• Holding the value of their fare in credit for 12 months.
• Requesting a refund, including for non-refundable fares.

Broader Industry Implications

While Jetstar faced significant operational challenges, other Australian carriers like Qantas and Virgin Australia reported no impact on their A320 fleets. Globally, the recall affected thousands of A320 family aircraft, with airlines in Asia, Europe, and the Americas scrambling to implement the required fixes. Airbus acknowledged the disruptions and apologised to airlines and passengers for the inconvenience caused by this significant recall, one of the largest in its 55-year history.