Tens of thousands of passengers impacted after air traffic control issue

An air traffic control issue has impacted tens of thousands of passengers across the UK, with more than 400 flights cancelled as of 5pm on Tuesday. The problem, identified by Nats, the organization responsible for air traffic control at 15 UK airports, was caused by a technical issue in its "flight processing system." Airlines such as Ryanair and British Airways reported significant disruptions, with Ryanair canceling over 50 scheduled flights and British Airways cancelling or diverting more than 100 flights.

EasyJet also experienced flight delays and cancellations. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander apologized for the inconvenience and urged those affected to check with their airlines for updates. Passengers at Heathrow and Gatwick expressed their frustration and stress, with some even deciding to stay at the airport until their next available flight.