A significant technical fault within the national air traffic control system has plunged UK airports into widespread UK flight chaos. Consequently, the head of the air traffic control provider, Nats, is scheduled to meet the Transport Secretary on Wednesday. This meeting comes as thousands of passengers face continued disruption nationwide.
By Tuesday evening, over 1,000 flights originating from or destined for UK airports had been cancelled. This major system issue impacted Nats, which manages air traffic services for 15 UK airports. Tens of thousands of travelers were caught in the resulting gridlock.
Disruptions are expected to persist well into Wednesday. Numerous cancellations and substantial delays are anticipated as airlines manage the cascading effects. Major hubs like Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Stansted are particularly affected.
Martin Rolfe, Nats’ chief executive officer, addressed questions about his position following the incident. He stated he “always accepts full responsibility” for the company’s operations. Mr. Rolfe affirmed his commitment to ensuring safety and delivering the best possible service during such events.
He further explained his immediate priority was resolving the issue and restoring normal operations. Moreover, his focus remains on assisting airlines, airport clients, and the travelling public.
Travel journalist Simon Calder warned that Wednesday’s knock-on effects would be “horrible.” He predicted dozens of inbound flights to Heathrow would face morning cancellations. This is largely because many outbound flights did not depart the previous night.
Ryanair confirmed that more than 65,000 of its passengers experienced disruption, with over 50 scheduled flights cancelled. British Airways (BA) also reported significant issues, cancelling or diverting over 100 flights on Tuesday. This impacted “tens of thousands of customers.”
Mr. Rolfe has faced sharp criticism from airlines like Wizz Air and Ryanair. Some passengers were reportedly trapped on planes for hours on runways due to the latest problem. Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s chief operating officer, explicitly called for Mr. Rolfe’s resignation.
Mr. McMahon argued that passengers should not “suffer before overpaid failure Nats CEO Martin Rolfe accepts responsibility for his repeated mismanagement.” He referenced previous system failures, asserting that nothing had changed for UK passengers. This ongoing UK flight chaos resulted in avoidable air traffic control delays of up to eight hours.
Nats acknowledged the situation late Tuesday, stating work was ongoing to help airlines and airports recover. They described the recovery as “very complex,” affecting the entire aviation network. Recovery will therefore take time, and Nats reiterated its apologies for the disruption.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to meet Mr. Rolfe on Wednesday. She will then address MPs regarding the Civil Aviation Bill. Amidst the chaos, passenger Josie Donoghue recounted her ordeal at Gatwick. After three hours on the runway, she had to disembark her flight to Ireland.
Ms. Donoghue likened navigating the airport to “trying to get out of Alcatraz,” describing it as “an absolute nightmare.”
