European aircraft manufacturer Airbus announced the recall of a significant portion of its global fleet of A320 family aircraft for a software update. According to Reuters, the recall will affect approximately 6 thousand aircraft, representing almost half of all aircraft of this type in operation.

This is one of the largest recalls in the aviation industry in the last fifty years. A software update is urgently needed.

The agency notes that the large-scale upgrade campaign could lead to flight delays and cancellations worldwide. The A320 family is one of the most common types of narrow-body aircraft, widely used by airlines for domestic and international flights.