Key points
- Passengers have been urged to check flight information with their airlines after the glitch
- Departures at airports across UK resumed on Wednesday evening: UK Transport Secretary
- In 2023, NATS suffered the UK’s worst systems failure in almost 10 years
ISLAMABAD: Scores of flights to and from UK airports were canceled Wednesday due to a technical glitch, according to the air traffic control service, prompting anger from airline chiefs.
AFP reported that the number of aircraft in London’s airspace was limited by the service, known as NATS, as a result of a technical issue which was quickly resolved.
Airports including London’s Heathrow and Gatwick, as well as Edinburgh, were affected. Heathrow is Europe’s busiest air hub.
There were 67 departures and 55 arrivals canceled as of 7:30 p.m. (1830 GMT), while a number of flights were also diverted, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, according to AFP.
BBC reported that passengers have been urged to check flight information with their airlines after an air traffic control issue caused disruption to all UK airports on Wednesday.
Airlines demand answers
Airlines are demanding answers after more than 150 flights were cancelled on Wednesday and thousands more were grounded.
NATS, which has apologised, said it had taken 20 minutes to resolve the issue by switching to a back-up system, and systems were fully operational within an hour, BBC reported.
BBC cited Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander as saying, departures at airports across the UK resumed on Wednesday evening and NATS was working with airports and airlines “to clear the backlog safely and look after passengers.”
A Heathrow Airport spokesperson claimed the airport was operating normally on Thursday. According to, 10 flights on Thursday morning to and from the airport were cancelled – four departures and six arrivals.
Worst systems failure
Flights at other major UK airports were returning to normal on Thursday morning.
Stansted Airport said all flights were operating as normal on Thursday morning, while a Gatwick Airport spokesperson said operations were “stable”.
In 2023, NATS suffered the UK’s worst systems failure in almost 10 years, stranding thousands of passengers.
