How can the autothrust system be disconnected?

The autothrust system in the A320 can be disconnected by positioning both thrust levers to the idle stop. When the thrust levers are moved to the idle position, it indicates to the autothrust system that the pilot intends to disengage automatic thrust control, which leads to the system being deactivated. This is a designed safety feature that allows pilots to have full manual control over thrust when necessary, especially during critical flight phases such as landing or go-around.

Positioning the thrust levers to the idle stop ensures that the autothrust will no longer adjust engine power automatically, and the pilots can directly control the engines' thrust as needed. Other methods of engaging/disengaging the autothrust system might not lead to a complete disconnection of the system, whereas moving both levers to idle is a clear and definitive action recognized by the aircraft systems.