Thousands of Airbus planes are returning to normal service after being briefly grounded following a warning that solar radiation could interfere with onboard computers.
The aerospace giant - based in France - said about 6,000 of its A320 planes had been affected, with most requiring a quick software update. Some 900 older planes need a replacement computer.
On Saturday, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the updates went very smoothly for more than 5,000 planes, and fewer than 100 still needed the update.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury apologised for what he called logistical challenges and delays. He said teams were working to ensure that updates are completed as swiftly as possible.
On Saturday morning, several Air France flights in and out of Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport were delayed or cancelled. American Airlines said it expected operational delays but added that the vast majority of updates would be carried out by Saturday. Delta Airlines said it believed the impact on its operations would be limited.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority reported that airlines operating in the country worked through the night to carry out the update, and air traffic had not been seriously affected. Locations like London Gatwick experienced some disruption, while Heathrow reported no cancellations.
In Australia, budget airline Jetstar cancelled 90 flights but gradually resumed services as aircraft updates were completed. Air New Zealand has also resumed flights after grounding its A320 planes due to the issue.
The problem was initially discovered after a JetBlue Airways plane lost altitude in October due to software issues related to solar radiation affecting altitude data correction. The A320 family, which includes A318, A319, and A321 models, was subsequently reviewed for vulnerabilities to this radiation.
Older planes that require new computers remain grounded, with replacements being determined by the availability of parts.
