More than 400 UK flights cancelled after air-traffic-control system glitch

More than 400 UK flights were cancelled on Tuesday due to a technical issue with the air traffic control system, according to Britain's air traffic control service, NATS. The disruption, which affected both incoming and outgoing flights, saw a total of 425 flights to and from British airports cancelled by 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) on FlightRadar24's aircraft tracking website.

NATS stated that they have implemented a fix and their flight system is beginning to recover, while apologizing for the inconvenience caused to travelers. The airline and airport customers have been kept informed of the recovery process.

This latest glitch follows a similar issue in July last year that led to numerous flights being cancelled and sparked anger among airline executives. In 2023, the country experienced its worst air systems failure in almost a decade, with hundreds of flights delayed or cancelled, impacting over 700,000 passengers. Heathrow Airport, London's largest and busiest airport, was among those impacted on Tuesday, along with Gatwick, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Edinburgh airports.

Dublin Airport in Ireland also reported the cancellation of dozens of flights due to the technical issue. British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed her awareness of the situation, stating that technicians have identified the problem and are working on a solution. She apologized for the frustration caused to passengers and advised them to check with their respective airlines for updates on their flights.