UK Airports Scramble After 2,000 Flight Cancellations as NATS Outage Strands 330,000 Passengers
Updated
Updated · CNN · Sep 8
UK Airports Scramble After 2,000 Flight Cancellations as NATS Outage Strands 330,000 Passengers
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Sep 8
Summary
More than 1,750 flights were canceled on Tuesday and another 291 on Wednesday after an hours-long NATS outage, leaving UK airports struggling to restore normal schedules.
Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester warned delays and further cancellations could continue as airlines reposition aircraft and crew, with passengers told to check before traveling.
British Airways canceled more than 190 flights and Ryanair more than 50, saying 65,000 of its passengers were hit and putting its immediate loss at up to £3 million.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander demanded an investigation after meeting NATS chief Martin Rolfe, while Ryanair and Wizz Air attacked the provider and called its systems unfit.
The disruption also rippled abroad, affecting Air India and Qatar Airways flights, and revived scrutiny of NATS after a similar 2023 glitch and other recent UK airport outages.