
World Business Report US Black Friday sales
8 snips
Nov 28, 2025 Guest
Michelle Fleury

Guest
Michelle Meyer
Guest
George Conboy
Guest
Beatrix Klein
Guest
Scott Hamilton
Guest
Theo Liggett
Theo Liggett, an international business correspondent, and Scott Hamilton, an aviation consultant, delve into the implications of Airbus's urgent software fixes. Beatrix Klein, director at the CAR Centre, discusses Germany’s plea to delay the EU's combustion engine ban amid EV adoption challenges. George Conboy shares insights on market reactions and consumer spending amidst economic uncertainties. Finally, Michelle Meyer highlights shifting Black Friday consumer behaviors influenced by inflation and tech, while Michelle Fleury reports on the unprecedented low seasonal hiring in U.S. retail.
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Solar Storms Can Corrupt Flight Computers
- Airbus found intense solar radiation can corrupt flight-control data, forcing urgent software and hardware changes across thousands of A320-family jets.
- The fix prevents rare solar-storm-induced control errors but initially grounds about 900 planes pending hardware swaps.
Prioritise Quick Software Updates
- Airlines should prioritise rapid software updates for most affected A320s since a typical update takes about three hours.
- For older jets needing hardware swaps, airlines must secure replacement units quickly to avoid prolonged groundings.
Digital Complexity Raises New Risks
- Scott Hamilton notes the A320's long service and strong safety record mean this incident likely reflects modern software complexity rather than systemic design failure.
- He warns solar flares are a known risk and may prompt broader testing or mitigation for digital aircraft systems.
