Heathrow and Gatwick hit by Nats air traffic control failure
A technical glitch at air traffic provider Nats disrupts UK and Irish flights, cancelling over 425 flights and halting departures at major airports.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Nats experienced a technical glitch affecting flight processing systems in the UK and Ireland.
- More than 425 flights were cancelled, with EasyJet and British Airways each scrapping over 100 services.
- Heathrow and Gatwick airports faced severe disruptions, landing restrictions, and departure halts.
- Nats confirmed engineers were on-site and systems began recovering by late afternoon.
Air travel across the United Kingdom and Ireland suffered severe disruptions on 8 September 2026 after a technical issue struck air traffic control provider Nats. According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, at least 425 flights into or out of the UK were cancelled as the technical fault crippled routine operations.
Major airlines bore the brunt of the failure, with both EasyJet and British Airways cancelling more than 100 flights each. At London Heathrow, departures were initially paused around lunchtime, briefly resumed, and then faced renewed disruption in the afternoon. By 17:00 BST, BBC News understood that virtually no flights were taking off, while 13 inbound flights destined for Heathrow were diverted to alternative airports across the UK and Europe.
The disruption quickly spread beyond Heathrow. Gatwick Airport confirmed it was impacted alongside other regional hubs including East Midlands Airport, while Manchester Airport warned departing passengers of potential delays. Both airports in Belfast advised travellers to check flight information, and the City of Derry Airport reported experiencing select cancellations and delays.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Nats stated just before 17:00 BST that its flight systems were beginning to recover, adding that engineers were on site working urgently to restore normal operations. The organization issued an apology for the delays and advised passengers to check flight statuses directly with their airlines or via www.nats.aero and X. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged the situation, stating she realized how frustrating it would be for affected travelers.
"The situation was entirely out of our control."
British Airways
Air traffic control systems continuously process flight plans and operational data to maintain safe spacing between aircraft in airspace. When core processing systems fail, providers must heavily restrict capacity to prevent safety hazards. Even after technical fixes are applied, widespread knock-on delays and displaced aircraft across European airports mean that schedule recovery takes considerable time.
Stranded passengers shared stories of lengthy delays both inside terminal buildings and on stationary aircraft. Phil White from Bexhill told BBC Your Voice that his flight to Lanzarote boarded on time but remained stuck on the tarmac at Gatwick for hours. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Chloe Davis from Cambridgeshire found herself waiting aboard a Virgin aircraft at Heathrow since her scheduled 13:40 BST departure to Orlando.
Source: BBC Business
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment