Heathrow and Gatwick among airports hit by air traffic control problems

Departures from major UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, have been impacted by a technical issue affecting the air traffic control provider Nats. At Heathrow, departures were initially halted around midday, before resuming and experiencing further stop-start disruption in the afternoon. Incoming flights were landing as usual.

Gatwick, East Midlands and Manchester Airport were also affected by the problem, with some departing flights potentially delayed at Manchester. Passengers were advised to contact their airlines to check their flight status. Nats stated it was investigating the issue which had not yet been resolved according to the BBC. The problem was traced to their flight processing system, with engineers on site working to restore normal operations.

Nats apologized for the delays and urged passengers to check their flight status. The issue might impact Edinburgh Airport's operations, while Dublin and Cork in Ireland are also reported to be experiencing delays.