A significant network failure in the UK’s national air traffic control systems has brought chaos. Hundreds of flights experienced delays going in and out of the UK. Passengers face delays of up to 12 hours as engineers scramble to fix the issue.
Flight tracking sites have suggested a bleak scenario. Only a few planes departed from London Heathrow since 11:30 a.m. This airport, the UK’s busiest, is practically grounded. Short-haul flights coming into the country are also on hold.
Nats, the national airspace controllers, addressed the crisis. A spokesperson stated they are facing a technical issue and have applied traffic flow restrictions. It’s a necessary measure for safety while they work on the fault. They extended apologies for any inconvenience during this disruption.
Moreover, Heathrow advised passengers about the disruptions due to the airspace issues. They recommended passengers to check with their airlines regularly for updates. They assure they are doing everything they can to lessen the impact of the delays.
British Airways also sent a notification to its passengers about the delays. They said they are in touch with Nats to grasp the full impact of this technical issue. The airline assured they would keep their customers updated.
Loganair, the regional carrier based in Glasgow, sent out an alert through X, which was Twitter. They reported a network-wide failure of the air traffic control computer systems. They anticipated that regional Scottish flights could still operate. However, international flights might need more time.
Many of those affected by the delays return from the World Athletics Championships in Hungary. London Gatwick assured that planes are continuing to land and depart on Monday afternoon. Engineers are racing against the clock to fix the issue. If it extends, there might be widespread cancellations. It recalls a similar incident in 2014 that affected flights even the next day despite the airspace being curtailed for about an hour.
