Air travel chaos is on the horizon as Airbus has announced a significant recall affecting thousands of A320 aircraft. EasyJet has warned of "some disruption" ahead, while Wizz Air has cautioned passengers that flights could be impacted over the weekend.

The recall stems from a necessary software change prompted by Airbus after it was discovered that intense solar radiation could corrupt critical data in an aircraft's flight control systems. The company estimates that around 6,000 planes in the A320 family currently in service may be affected.

Wings for these jets are manufactured at Airbus's facility in Broughton, North Wales. According to sources, approximately two-thirds of the affected aircraft will only experience brief groundings as airlines revert to a previous software version. However, the remaining aircraft may require hardware replacements, which could result in extended groundings.

An Airbus spokesperson stated, "Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) in order to implement the available software and/or hardware protection, and ensure the fleet is safe to fly."

This AOT will be incorporated into an Emergency Airworthiness Directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The spokesperson added, "Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority."

As airlines prepare for potential disruptions, passengers are advised to check their flight status and remain informed about any changes to their travel plans. The situation is developing, and further updates are expected as airlines respond to the recall.