Air Traffic Control Problem Disrupts UK Travel
LONDON (AP) — An air traffic control issue caused major disruptions in travel across Britain on Tuesday, resulting in over 1,000 flight cancellations and leaving passengers stranded for extended periods at various airports, according to Flightradar24.
The National Air Traffic Services reported that they resolved a problem in their flight processing system in the evening, but delays continued to affect 15 U.K. airports. Airlines and airports struggled to manage the significant backlog of delayed flights.
Passengers expressed frustration, with Josie Donoghue recounting a three-hour wait on a Ryanair flight at Gatwick before it was canceled. “Getting through that airport was like trying to get out of Alcatraz,” she described, referring to the notorious former prison. “It’s just an absolute nightmare…”
At Heathrow, departures resumed, but arrivals were suspended for the night due to ongoing disruptions. Passengers on a British Airways flight delayed for four hours were eventually let off the plane, but faced chaos at the baggage claim, with no immediate assistance available.
British Airways canceled or diverted over 100 flights, while Ryanair reported that more than 65,000 passengers were affected with over 50 scheduled flights canceled. A spokesperson for British Airways noted, “The severity of the issue means there will be a significant knock-on impact… This incident was entirely out of our control and incredibly frustrating for our customers and colleagues.”
Many passengers took to social media to share their experiences, expressing dissatisfaction over long waits and poor communication from airlines. Airports—including Stansted, City, Manchester, Birmingham, Gatwick, and several in Scotland—advised travelers to check their flight status with their respective airlines.
The budget airline EasyJet also indicated that some flights were “unable to operate” due to the system failure, causing delays across Europe.
