Air traffic control outage disrupts flights at major UK airports

A technical failure within the UK’s air traffic control provider, Nats, has triggered significant disruptions to flight departures across several major airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick. The incident, which is still being investigated, has forced stop-start delays for outgoing flights while incoming traffic has generally continued to land safely.

At London Heathrow, departures were initially paused around midday on Monday. Although operations briefly resumed, passengers faced further intermittent disruptions throughout the afternoon. Gatwick confirmed it was experiencing similar issues, while East Midlands Airport also reported effects from the fault. Manchester Airport issued warnings that some departing flights could face delays.

In a statement, Nats acknowledged that the problem originated in its flight processing system. The company apologized for the inconvenience and assured the public that engineers are working urgently on-site to restore normal operations.

“Flights are still departing and airspace is open, but recovery will take some time,” Nats stated, confirming that the issue had not yet been fully resolved. The organization advised travelers to contact their airlines directly for the latest flight status updates and promised to provide further information via its website and X platform.

Edinburgh Airport also indicated on social media that the outage might impact its operations. Passengers are being urged to monitor their flight status closely as the situation develops.