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Business operations at major UK airports were disrupted when an air traffic control outage occurred, causing delays and cancellations for thousands of passengers. The technical issue, which lasted approximately 20 minutes, led to a substantial backlog of flights at airports such as Heathrow, Stanstead, Manchester, and Edinburgh. More than 150 flights to and from the UK had to be cancelled in response to the disruption. The problem was identified as being “radar-related” by the air traffic control firm NATS, prompting a switch to a back-up system to maintain safety measures.
This incident marked the second time in two years that NATS faced a major outage, following a similar disruption in August 2023 which affected over 700,000 customers. Amid the chaos, NATS limited flight traffic in the London area due to a technical issue at its Swanwick air traffic control centre in Hampshire. The firm was quick to address the problem by restoring the affected system, but many planes were left grounded or diverted to alternative airports while the resolution took place.
Following the outage, NATS commenced efforts to work with affected airlines and airports to clear the flight backlog safely. In response to the disruption, airlines like British Airways and EasyJet issued apologies to customers while advising them to stay updated on any changes to their travel plans. Passengers recounted their experiences of being stuck on the tarmac for hours, with some expressing frustration at the lack of communication from airport authorities and airlines regarding the situation.
The incident drew sharp criticism from various quarters, with calls for an investigation into the “utterly unacceptable” disruption by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey. Ryanair’s chief operating officer criticized the outage as “outrageous,” demanding accountability from NATS and even calling for the resignation of the firm’s CEO. Flight data indicated a significant number of cancellations and diversions across UK airports, with the highest impact observed at London Heathrow where a considerable number of flights were affected
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