Airbus is conducting inspections on a select number of its aircraft due to a 'quality issue' with metal panels used on some A320 planes. This follows a recent grounding of thousands of the same model for an urgent software update. The issue, affecting a 'limited number' of planes, was identified after a software vulnerability caused a plane to lose altitude due to intense solar radiation interference with onboard flight control computers. This incident resulted in injuries to 15 people and led to one of the largest aviation recalls, affecting over 6,000 Airbus aircraft. The company is taking a 'conservative approach' by checking all potentially affected planes, even though not all are expected to require repairs. The number of impacted planes is estimated to be around 600 A320s, widely used by major airlines, but this figure is subject to change as inspections progress. Airbus assures that the issue has been contained and that newly produced panels meet all requirements. However, inspections will determine which aircraft have panels with quality issues and the necessary actions to be taken. This recent development has caused Airbus shares to drop by more than 6.5% in the past five days, highlighting the potential impact on the company's operations and reputation.
