The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Airbus have asked airlines to replace existing speed sensors on their A330 and A340 jet fleets.

Air France has since agreed to the request, which was issued as a precautionary measure to prevent cases of the existing sensors giving false data, as was recently seen in the Atlantic Ocean Air France crash.

France’s accident investigation agency, BEA, confirmed that false data from speed monitors were a contributing factor to the crash, but not the cause.

The airlines have been asked to change at least two out of the three pitot speed probes on each plane to a Goodrich model, from the present Thales version.

In response to the replacement decision, Thales has commented that its sensors had fulfilled industry requirements and had been certified by aviation authorities.

The EASA has issued a statement in Germany confirming that it was preparing an order to the same effect to be issued within 14 days.

The new policy will affect about 200 planes put of a total of about 1,000 A330 and A340 long-haul jets across the world, while the remaining are already fitted with the Goodrich probes.