CRBC News
Culture
Society
Security
Health
Conflict
Science
Technology
Politics
Environment
Lifestyle
Economy

Pope’s Plane Receives Urgent Software Fix After Airbus Grounds Thousands of A320 Jets

Quick summary: The plane carrying Pope Leo XIV received an urgent software update in Istanbul after Airbus ordered a safety update for more than 6,000 A320-family jets due to a risk that intense solar radiation could corrupt flight-control data. ITA Airways sent parts and a technician; a replacement monitor arrived from Rome around 3:30 p.m. and installation finished about 6 p.m., allowing the aircraft to fly to Beirut the next day. The FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive requiring fixes before 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 30; Airbus has since said affected aircraft have been updated.

12:23 AM, 12/02/2025Security
Pope’s Plane Receives Urgent Software Fix After Airbus Grounds Thousands of A320 Jets

Pope’s Aircraft Repaired in Istanbul After Fleetwide Airbus Update

The aircraft accompanying Pope Leo XIV during his first international Apostolic Journey required an urgent software repair over the weekend after being included in a mass grounding of Airbus A320-family jets.

On Nov. 28, Airbus issued an urgent directive ordering a software update for the A320 family after a new analysis indicated that intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to flight-control systems. The action affected more than 6,000 aircraft in service, with roughly 3,000 reportedly airborne when the announcement was made.

ITA Airways, which was operating the Pope’s aircraft, confirmed the plane was impacted and that the airline arranged an immediate fix while the pontiff was in Istanbul. The carrier said it sent the necessary components and an additional technician to carry out the software update so the Apostolic Journey could continue safely.

According to reports, a monitor (replacement part) was flown from Rome to Istanbul and arrived around 3:30 p.m. local time. Technicians completed the software installation around 6 p.m., and the aircraft was cleared to depart for Beirut the following afternoon.

U.S. regulatory response

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive requiring operators to replace or modify the software that controls the airplanes’ elevator and ailerons — the control surfaces that manage an aircraft’s pitch and roll. The FAA set a compliance deadline before 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 30.

The directive followed a high-profile incident on Oct. 30 in which a JetBlue flight from Cancún to Newark experienced a sudden loss of altitude and made an emergency landing in Tampa; about 15–20 people were hospitalized after that event. Airbus later confirmed the affected aircraft have been updated.

Industry data indicate there are roughly 11,300 A320-family jets operating worldwide, with major U.S. carriers among the largest users of the model. A Vatican spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the episode.

Key takeaway: The Pope’s flight was able to continue after a rapid, on-site software update — part of a broader, global effort to address a flight-control software vulnerability linked to intense solar radiation.

Similar Articles

Trending

Pope’s Plane Receives Urgent Software Fix After Airbus Grounds Thousands of A320 Jets - CRBC News