As it struggled with safety headlines that had long centered on rival Boeing, the European aircraft manufacturer pushed through sudden software updates more quickly than anticipated.
On Monday, Airbus fleets were resuming regular operations. After a vulnerability to solar flares surfaced in a recent mid-air incident on a JetBlue A320, dozens of airlines from Asia to the US reported that they had completed a quick software patch ordered by Airbus and required by international regulators.
However, some need a more drawn-out procedure, and Avianca in Colombia was stopping reservations for dates until December 8.
The historic decision to recall over half of the A320 family fleet, or 6,000 aircraft, was made soon after the potential but unproven connection to a dip in altitude on the JetBlue aircraft surfaced late last week, according to people familiar with the situation.
Hundreds of operators received an 8-page advisory from Airbus on Friday, which effectively ordered a temporary grounding by mandating the repair before the next flight, after discussions with authorities.
"I returned here at 9:30 after the incident struck us at around 9 p.m. (Jeddah time). The CEO of Saudi low-cost airline Flyadeal, Steven Greenway, remarked, "I was actually quite surprised how quickly we got through it: there are always complexities."
The directive sparked immediate worries about travel interruption, especially during the hectic Thanksgiving weekend in the United States, and was viewed as the largest emergency recall in the company's history.
According to industry sources, the broad alert revealed that Airbus does not have complete real-time information of which software version is used due to reporting gaps.
Airlines first found it difficult to assess the impact because the serial numbers of the impacted aircraft were missing from the blanket alert. A flight was delayed on the tarmac for checks, according to a Finnair passenger.
Engineers focused on specific jets during the course of a day. Airbus initially estimated that the work would take three hours per aircraft, but several carriers lowered their estimates of the number of affected aircraft and the amount of time required.
An industry insider stated on Sunday that "it has come down a lot," referring to the total number of impacted aircraft. Beyond its statement on Friday, Airbus had nothing to say.
Reverting to a previous iteration of the software that manages the nose angle was the solution. To stop cyberattacks, a device known as a data loader is taken into the cockpit and uses a cable to upload the prior version.
According to a private executive, at least one large airline had delays since it did not have enough data loaders to handle dozens of jets in such a short amount of time.
There are still concerns about a portion of the mainly older A320-family aircraft that will require a new computer instead of just a software reset. According to industry insiders, the early estimates of 1,000 people engaged have been lowered.
The controversy over the weekend, according to industry officials, demonstrated how the industry's strategy has changed since the Boeing 737 MAX crisis, in which the American airline faced harsh criticism for how it handled deadly crashes that were attributed to a software design flaw.
Since that incident, Airbus has never had to deal with such widespread attention to safety. In an intentional change of tone for a sector plagued by lawsuits and conservative PR, CEO Guillaume Faury openly apologized. Additionally, Boeing has stated that it is more transparent.
Does Airbus have the Boeing MAX situation in mind when it acts? Indeed, every business in the aviation industry is, according to Ronn Torossian, chairman of 5W Public Relations in New York.
"Hesitancy and opacity cost Boeing its reputation. It's obvious that Airbus wants to demonstrate a readiness to admit when it could have done better. Customers, regulators, and the flying public all find resonance in that.
