Flight Delays Continue Following Air Traffic Control Glitch

Flight delays are expected to persist on Wednesday after an air traffic control issue resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights across the UK. Tens of thousands of passengers were impacted by the disruption, with tracking website FlightRadar24 reporting up to 1,000 flights cancelled due to a glitch affecting air traffic control provider Nats. Nats CEO Martin Rolfe apologized and stated that a full investigation would be conducted, noting that resolving the issue took "longer than hoped." Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has summoned Rolfe for a meeting on Wednesday to address the disruption and response. She is also expected to inform MPs that a cyber attack was "categorically" not the cause of the fault. With limited aircraft able to take off, landings were restricted, resulting in some flights being unable to depart from overseas airports. The fault affected airports widely across the UK, including those in Scotland and Ireland. EasyJet cancelled 200 flights, while British Airways cancelled more than 100. This incident is not the first disruption involving Nats' control system, with Ryanair and Wizz Air calling for an overhaul, with Wizz Air stating Nats is "not fit for purpose" in its current form. Rolfe indicated that he would consider his position later, focusing on resolving the issue now. Ryanair reported that over 65,000 passengers experienced delays of up to eight hours. At Heathrow, departures were paused around lunchtime before resuming, only to face further disruption in the afternoon as the airport ran out of space for incoming flights. Thirteen Heathrow-bound flights were diverted to other airports. Passengers are advised to contact their airlines for flight status updates. British Airways stated it anticipates ongoing knock-on effects from the cancellations and diversions. Airports across the UK are experiencing delays and cancellations, urging travelers to verify their flight details before heading to the airport. FlightRadar noted that the worst affected airports include Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Birmingham. Ryanair confirmed that affected passengers would be notified. Phil White from Bexhill reported being stuck on the tarmac at Gatwick for hours, waiting for information from air traffic control. Even if Nats resolves the issue with its flight processing system, backlogs are expected to prolong the disruption. Rolfe explained that the issue was within Nats' flight data processing system, which is different from the system that failed during an incident in 2023 over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Although departures were primarily affected, arrivals were also impacted as ground space became limited. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that it will take time to fully resume flights and advised continued communication with airlines. She is seeking assurances that lessons will be learned and that systems supporting aviation are adequate. According to Nats, the flight processing system is responsible for managing flight plans and operational information used by air traffic controllers to oversee air traffic. The system continuously updates flight information as aircraft navigate through UK airspace. Chloe Davis, 18, from Cambridgeshire, was left waiting on a Virgin plane at Heathrow for a flight to Orlando, originally scheduled to depart at 13:40 BST. She expressed a desire for more information about the situation. Chloe, an aspiring pilot, had the opportunity to speak with the pilot in the cockpit while waiting on the ground. Additional reporting was contributed by Emer Moreau, Faarea Masud, and Nick Watt.