UK flights resume after air traffic failure, but delays persist
UK flights resume after a major air traffic control failure, but airports warn of ongoing disruption as aircraft and crew are repositioned.
Flights from British airports resumed early Wednesday following a major air traffic control failure, but hubs cautioned that normal operations would take time to restore after the disruption left aircraft and crews out of position.
The hours-long shutdown on Tuesday led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights and stranded hundreds of thousands of passengers. The incident has intensified scrutiny on NATS, the air traffic control provider, and its chief executive, Martin Rolfe.
Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, had already called for Rolfe's resignation over his handling of a similar system failure in August 2023, which cost carriers an estimated £100 million ($135 million).
As operations restarted, Heathrow Airport, the UK's busiest hub, advised passengers to check with their airlines before travelling, as schedules had changed due to the previous day's problems. "We are expecting knock-on impacts as aircraft and crew reposition," the airport said, adding that it was working with NATS and airline partners to restore normal operations quickly.
London Gatwick, the second-busiest airport, also urged passengers to verify flight status with their airlines.
Ryanair reported that around 150,000 of its passengers were affected after it cancelled more than 200 flights. British Airways said it had cancelled or diverted 100 flights, impacting tens of thousands of travellers.