An Airbus technical directive has led to the cancellation of over 28 Avianca flights in Colombia on Friday and Saturday, affecting major routes between Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena. The airline has grounded 70% of its A320 fleet due to a software issue linked to solar radiation exposure. Authorities and airlines are working to mitigate the impact on passengers.
On November 28, Airbus issued an airworthiness directive affecting the A320 aircraft family, forcing airlines like Avianca to ground 70% of its fleet and suspend ticket sales until December 8. This measure followed an October 30 incident with a JetBlue flight from Cancún to Newark, where a solar storm caused a loss of 15,000 feet of altitude and an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, according to Avianca internal sources.
In Colombia, Friday saw approximately 12 Avianca cancellations, including AVA9358 from Bogotá to Medellín (6:25 p.m. - 7:20 p.m.) and AVA8432 (9:35 a.m. - 10:03 a.m.), on routes to Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena. Latam also canceled ARE4012 from Bogotá to Medellín (9:25 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.). On Saturday, over 16 more Avianca flights were canceled, such as AVA9306 from Bogotá to Medellín (12:55 p.m. - 1:55 p.m.), and from Latam, ARE4069 from Bogotá to Cali (9:10 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.).
The Civil Aeronautics Authority (Aerocivil), through Secretary Álvaro Mujica, announced measures including flight rescheduling, passenger endorsements to other airlines, and ongoing maintenance since Friday night. "We have been in constant communication to seek mechanisms that mitigate the impact," Mujica commented. "Operational safety is our main commitment".
Avianca reported that 51% of its A320 fleet has the software fully updated, with work ongoing to complete it in the coming days. Gabriel Oliva, President and COO of Avianca Group, stated: "51% of our fleet is already fully updated and we continue working non-stop". Globally, over 11,000 A320 aircraft are grounded, representing 25% of the worldwide commercial fleet. An Airbus spokesperson noted that 85% require only a minor IT change, while 15% need major interventions. JetSmart reported normal operations without impact.