A solar radiation–linked software flaw in Airbus A320 jets triggered urgent global fixes, causing possible delays but no safety risk for travelers.

A320 planes are flown by a number of domestic and international airlines, and the required software update could lead to "operational disruptions to passengers and customers," according to Airbus.

Airlines have averted the threat of major global travel disruption after rushing to fix a software glitch on Airbus A320 jets caused by intense solar radiation. Carriers worked through Friday night and into the weekend after aviation regulators said they must fix the problem before resuming flights.

Airbus and European aviation safety regulators say an aircraft heavily used by commercial airlines around the world needs a software fix to address an issue that contributed to a sudden drop in altitude of a JetBlue plane last month.

One of the world’s largest airplane makers said Friday that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to flight controls on a “significant number” of its most popular aircraft, prompting a swift response from several airlines. Airbus attributed the revelation to a recent analysis involving its A320 family of aircraft.

Airbus SE’s warning that thousands of its A320 jets need an urgent software upgrade grounded aircraft in Australia and New Zealand on Saturday, causing travel delays.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury apologised to airlines and passengers for the recall, seen as the biggest in the European aerospace major’s history.

Air New Zealand says aircraft grounded by a global software fault are expected to be back in service by this evening.