The Minister of Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, highlighted on Sunday that “the proactive update of the entire fleet affected by the EASA alert for A320 family aircraft,” including TAP, has been completed with “total success”.
“TAP has successfully completed the proactive update of its entire fleet affected by the EASA alert for A320 family aircraft. All aircraft were serviced without cancellations and with delays of less than two hours, ensuring continuous operation with minimal impact on passengers,” he wrote on social media.
The official explained that “the alert arose after Airbus identified a vulnerability in the flight control computers (ELAC), related to the possibility of intense solar radiation corrupting critical data”.
“In coordination with Airbus, EASA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, mandating that the update be carried out before the next flight – a preventive measure to ensure the highest safety standards.”
“TAP’s swift, coordinated, and technically rigorous response demonstrates the company’s operational excellence and the professionalism of its teams. Engineering, maintenance, and the Integrated Control Center (IOC) acted exemplarily, adapting processes, reorganizing operations, and executing all necessary changes with precision and efficiency,” he emphasized.
Miguel Pinto Luz further highlighted, “with a complex and strategic operation for the country, TAP reaffirms its responsibility and commitment to safety.”
“The network is expected to be fully normalized today, showcasing the company’s resilience and the sector’s response capacity,” he stated.
The Minister of Infrastructure acknowledged “the extraordinary work of all professionals involved,” noting that “this preventive action reinforces the collective commitment to ensuring reliable, safe operations that meet passengers’ and the country’s expectations.”
“Aviation continues to fly with safety as its top priority, and Portugal continues to count on teams that are at the forefront of this standard,” he concluded.
TAP Completes A320 Software Update: “Extraordinary Achievement”
TAP announced that it has completed the update of the flight control software for its A320 aircraft following issues detected by Airbus, impacting a total of 41 aircraft, without disrupting operations, as announced today by the airline.
“TAP has already completed the update of its entire impacted fleet, totaling 41 aircraft,” the airline stated in a release, highlighting that the process proceeded “without disrupting operations and always ensuring the safety of passengers and crews.”
The carrier, which reported on Saturday that the update of the flight control software for its A320 aircraft was underway, emphasized the “extraordinary achievement made possible by the unparalleled proactivity, coordination, and dedication” of its Maintenance & Engineering teams and the Operational Control Center.
TAP announced it has completed the update of the flight control software for its A320 aircraft, after issues detected by Airbus, affecting a total of 41 aircraft, without disrupting operations, the airline announced today.
Lusa | 15:14 – 30/11/2025
What Happened?
Airbus announced on Friday the withdrawal of approximately 6,000 A320 aircraft for an urgent flight control software replacement due to issues caused by exposure to solar radiation.
In a statement, the aircraft manufacturer informed having requested all client airlines using this software to “immediately suspend their flights,” following the analysis of a technical incident on October 30 during a JetBlue flight from Cancún, Mexico, to Newark, near New York, when an aircraft had to make an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida.
Airbus announced an immediate software change for “a significant number” of A320 family aircraft for safety reasons. TAP is monitoring the situation, although there are currently no known flight disruptions in Portugal.
Carolina Pereira Soares | 08:35 – 29/11/2025
The Airbus A320, which entered service in 1988, is the world’s best-selling aircraft. In September, Airbus surpassed Boeing’s 737, from the U.S. manufacturer, whose first unit was delivered in 1968.
By the end of September, Airbus had delivered 12,257 A320 aircraft (including executive class versions), compared to 12,254 Boeing 737.
