Nats System Failure Cancels 425 UK Flights as Heathrow Diverts 13 Arrivals
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 8
Nats System Failure Cancels 425 UK Flights as Heathrow Diverts 13 Arrivals
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 8
Summary
At least 425 flights in or out of the UK were cancelled after a technical failure hit Nats' flight processing system, with easyJet and British Airways each scrapping more than 100 services.
Nats said just before 17:00 BST that its systems were starting to recover, but departures remained severely restricted and some overseas flights could not leave for the UK.
Heathrow paused departures around lunchtime, briefly resumed traffic, then faced renewed disruption; by 17:00 BST no flights were going in or out, and 13 inbound flights were diverted across the UK and Europe.
Gatwick, Manchester, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Dublin, Cork and airports in Northern Ireland also reported delays or cancellations as aircraft and crews were left out of position.
Even after the fix, disruption is expected to persist because backed-up flights and limited gate space are constraining arrivals as well as departures.