UK air traffic control failure leaves close to a thousand flights canceled in two days
A technical failure in the flight data processing system of Britain's air traffic control provider forced the cancellation of close to a thousand flights on Tuesday and triggered a further wave of cancellations on Wednesday, in the biggest disruption to UK air traffic since 2023.
A technical glitch in Britain's air traffic control system on Tuesday resulted in the cancellation of nearly a thousand flights, marking the largest disruption since 2023. The issue, located in the flight data processing system, led to further cancellations on Wednesday, totaling over 1,750 flights affected. National Air Traffic Services (NATS) acknowledged the failure and implemented a fix, but reported a longer-than-expected recovery period.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and NATS CEO Martin Rolfe ruled out a cyber attack, confirming the incident was unrelated to such actions. The disruption impacted major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Birmingham, causing significant delays and cancellations for passengers. Ryanair, British Airways, and easyJet were among the airlines affected, with Ryanair alone canceling over 65,000 flights and facing an estimated loss of £3 million.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has ordered a full investigation by NATS and will evaluate the need for additional measures following this third incident in three years.
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