UK flights resume after air traffic failure; minister summons NATS chief

Flights from British airports are gradually resuming after a major air traffic control failure on Tuesday caused widespread disruption. The hours-long outage led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights and left hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded, prompting urgent questions about the reliability of the country's aviation infrastructure.

Transport Minister Heidi Alexander has summoned Martin Rolfe, the chief executive of NATS, the air traffic control provider, to explain the shutdown. In a statement on social media, Alexander said she was seeking assurances that lessons would be learned and that the systems supporting aviation are fit for purpose.

The incident is the latest in a series of technical problems for NATS. A similar system meltdown in August 2023, which occurred on one of the busiest travel days of the year, cost airlines an estimated £100 million. More recently, a radar-related technical issue in July 2025 disrupted flights at major airports, including Heathrow.

Rolfe has apologised to those affected but denied that Britain's air traffic service underperforms compared to other countries, citing its strong safety and resilience record. He also stated that a cyberattack has been ruled out as the cause of the latest failure.

Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, has been particularly critical, with its chief operating officer telling the BBC that the UK consistently experiences problems on a scale not seen elsewhere. The airline also renewed its call for Rolfe to resign, a demand it has made since 2023. Wizz Air's UK managing director has also suggested Rolfe should consider his position.

Airlines are now dealing with the knock-on effects of the disruption, as aircraft and crew are out of position. Heathrow, the UK's busiest airport, advised passengers to check with their airlines before travelling, as schedules have changed. Other major airports, including Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted, are operating but have issued similar advice.

Ryanair reported that around 150,000 of its passengers were affected on Tuesday, leading to the cancellation of more than 200 flights. British Airways said it cancelled or diverted 100 flights, impacting tens of thousands of travellers.

NATS, a public-private partnership partly owned by airlines, pension funds, and the government, has faced criticism over its investment strategy. Ryanair's chief operating officer argued that NATS should reinvest its profits into technology and increase staffing rather than paying out large dividends to owners.