Low-cost carrier Jetstar said late on Sunday, 30 November, that all 34 of its Airbus A320 aircraft affected by an emergency software recall are back in service, ending two chaotic days that saw roughly 90 domestic and short-haul international flights cancelled across Australia. Engineers worked through the night to roll back a flight-control update that Airbus ordered airlines to disable after a rare glitch triggered a loss-of-control incident on a JetBlue flight in the United States.
Although most aircraft required only a two-to-three-hour patch, the cascading effect on aircraft rotations stranded thousands of passengers and disrupted corporate itineraries ahead of Monday’s business peak. Qantas and Virgin, which also operate A320 family jets, reported no material impact, while Air New Zealand cancelled 12 flights before completing fixes.
![Jetstar restores network but warns of "flow-on" delays after global Airbus A320 software recall]()
For mobility managers, the episode underscores the fragility of trans-Tasman schedules that rely heavily on the A320. Companies with critical movements are advised to retain refundable back-up bookings and to monitor carrier engineering bulletins, as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expected to mandate a permanent software retrofit early in Q1 2026.
Jetstar has issued meal and accommodation vouchers and opened fee-free rebooking through 3 December but cautions that “flow-on delays” may persist as crews and aircraft reposition. Travellers heading to regional project sites should verify ground-transfer timings and consider same-day contingency accommodation.
The incident reignites debate over the aviation sector’s dependence on over-the-air software updates. Industry groups are calling on CASA to publish clearer guidance on post-update verification flights, arguing that Australia’s dispersed domestic network leaves limited margin for error when multiple aircraft are grounded simultaneously.
Although most aircraft required only a two-to-three-hour patch, the cascading effect on aircraft rotations stranded thousands of passengers and disrupted corporate itineraries ahead of Monday’s business peak. Qantas and Virgin, which also operate A320 family jets, reported no material impact, while Air New Zealand cancelled 12 flights before completing fixes.
For mobility managers, the episode underscores the fragility of trans-Tasman schedules that rely heavily on the A320. Companies with critical movements are advised to retain refundable back-up bookings and to monitor carrier engineering bulletins, as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expected to mandate a permanent software retrofit early in Q1 2026.
Jetstar has issued meal and accommodation vouchers and opened fee-free rebooking through 3 December but cautions that “flow-on delays” may persist as crews and aircraft reposition. Travellers heading to regional project sites should verify ground-transfer timings and consider same-day contingency accommodation.
The incident reignites debate over the aviation sector’s dependence on over-the-air software updates. Industry groups are calling on CASA to publish clearer guidance on post-update verification flights, arguing that Australia’s dispersed domestic network leaves limited margin for error when multiple aircraft are grounded simultaneously.
