A technical failure at the UK’s air traffic control provider NATS caused widespread flight disruption Tuesday, September 8, affecting operations at major airports including London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham.
NATS identified the problem in its flight-processing system, prompting restrictions on aircraft movements while engineers worked to resolve the issue. UK airspace remained open, but the reduced traffic flow resulted in hundreds of cancellations and significant delays. More than 600 flights were reported canceled during the day, with additional services delayed.
NATS subsequently implemented a fix and began restoring normal operations, although the organization warned that recovery would take time as airlines and airports worked through accumulated traffic and displaced aircraft and crews.
The incident renewed concerns about the resilience of the UK’s air traffic management infrastructure. A major NATS system failure in August 2023 disrupted hundreds of thousands of passengers and ultimately cost airlines more than £100 million in refunds and other expenses.
Ryanair and Wizz Air were among the carriers sharply criticizing NATS following Tuesday’s disruption. The UK Civil Aviation Authority said it is in contact with NATS and expects a detailed report on the incident before determining whether further action is necessary.