UK air traffic control hit by ‘technical issue’ as more than 500 flights cancelled – latest updates

TravelNews & AdviceNats, the national air-traffic service, says traffic flow restrictions have been imposed to maintain safety

Flights risk ‘diversion’ amid UK air traffic system failure, Simon Calder says

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Holidaymakers are facing travel chaos after the UK’s air traffic control system was hit by a major fault.

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said at 3:15pm that it had “identified and remedied” the technical issue which caused more than 500 flights to be cancelled, but the ensuing disruption is still expected to last further into the week.

Around one million passengers had been due to fly to and from the UK on the Monday bank holiday, data from analytics firm Cirium suggests – with many facing delays of up to 12 hours.

“We are now working closely with airlines and airports to manage the flights affected as efficiently as possible,” NATS said in a statement. “Our engineers will be carefully monitoring the system’s performance as we return to normal operations.

Anyone planning on flying today is being advised to contact their airlines for the latest updates.

Have you been affected by delays? If so email andy.gregory@independent.co.uk

1693237564An ‘absolute nightmare’: F1 fans ‘stranded in Schiphol Airport’Ashleigh Blaney, a 34-year-old finance assistant from Glasgow had been in Amsterdam watching the Dutch Grand Prix with her brother, both of whom are now “currently stranded in Schiphol Airport”.

While they had been due to fly to Glasgow at 1:45pm, they were notified eventually at 3pm that their EasyJet flight had been cancelled.

Ms Blaney told The Independent that they had been queueing for over an hour in border control in an attempt to exit the airport, and that no one could tell them where they could pick up their checked-in luggage, describing the situation as an “absolute nightmare”.

While they have managed to rebook their flight tomorrow, it will arrive in Edinburgh instead – and there are no hotels available on the EasyJet app, Ms Blaney said.

Her brother, who had been due to fly to Gran Canaria at 6am tomorrow, will no longer be able to make his trip.

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:46

1693236880‘A happy travel story’: Gabby Logan ‘boarded and heading home’Broadcaster Gabby Logan, who earlier said she was facing possible delays of 12 hours, has now announced that she is “boarded and heading home”, adding: “We are very lucky to be flying home tonight.”

The presenter revealed previously that she was stuck on the runway at Budapest having been away from home for three weeks.

However, a fellow passenger on the flight – who said they had been planning “exotic rail journeys across Europe to get us back to the UK” while stuck in the terminal – has written to The Independent to say: “Don’t hold your breath” for take-off.

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:34

1693236525BA tells passengers no flights will take off until 6pmBritish Airways told passengers on Monday afternoon that no flights would take off until 6pm and all check-in desks were closed.

Lawrence Sinclair, 26, who works for a holiday company, said he had to book on to a new BA flight to Gothenburg in Sweden, which leaves at 8.50pm, after his earlier flight was cancelled.

He said: “I don’t know if the later flight is going to go or not. I was supposed to go at 3.50pm. Hopefully I will fly at 8.50pm but that is going to be delayed, isn’t it. It’s annoying, I’m going to see my girlfriend in Sweden, but if I don’t go today I’ll go tomorrow.”

A British Airways staff member speaks to a passenger at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3

(REUTERS)

A view shows the departures board at London Heathrow Terminal 3

(REUTERS)

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:28

1693236324A diary of disruptionCass Helstrip, managing director of White Tiger PR was booked to depart from Biarritz to London Stansted at 4.20pm today with her husband and four-year-old. This is how her day unfolded:

1pm: We caught the bus from San Sebastián to Biarritz airport and arrived. Sat down and reading emails only to see an alert re all airspace being shut in UK. Nothing on Ryanair app or at airport.

1.30pm: Husband Al started Googling news and seeing that planes being delayed / cancelled. I was refreshing Ryanair app constantly – nothing. Panicking!

1.50pm: Al noticed Ryanair website reporting flights being cancelled due to ATC – still nothing on Ryanair app.

2.30pm: Get first notification through on app which is that flights are cancelled. Suggests changing flight but app not working properly so unable to change flight.

2.40pm: I am trying to speak to Ryanair on chat to change flight urgently seeing everyone else around me panicking and trying to book new flights. Ryanair chat crashes and can’t get hold of anyone anymore.

2.42pm: Husband realised hotel prices going through roof so books cosmopolitan hotel for £180 – other people who booked 10 mins after us couldn’t get anything for less than £300.

2.45pm: Lady has spoken to Ryanair and says because of backlog of flights flight that we are likely to be able to reschedule to will be delayed / cancelled.

2.50pm: Refresh app and now it’s working to ‘change flights’ but now all flights are full for Tuesday. We panic and realise we will need to train and the trains will likely fill as well. We book trains from Biarritz to Paris (£350) at 10am tomorrow morning and then book Eurostar – website crashes as well and price goes up an extra £170 based on demand. We pay £550 for Eurostar tickets for tomorrow at 16.15 for 2 adults and 1 x four year old.

3pm: Email alert comes through from Ryanair saying flight is delayed till 17.50 – causes mass confusion and everyone panics having paid hundreds of pounds to book alternate flights etc.

3.15 Email comes through saying flight is cancelled. We sit in dismay for a bit deciding safest to wait a little longer before leaving. Leave airport at 15.45 and now at hotel.

Simon Calder28 August 2023 16:25

1693236019Suella Braverman offers sympathies to those facing disruptionHome secretary Suella Braverman has offered her sympathy with anyone impacted by the air traffic control problems.

“This issue is evolving right now, as we speak,” she told broadcasters. “What we do know is that there has been a national outage at national air traffic control and that this has affected UK air space.

“It will affect all incoming and outgoing flights and also those aircraft which are in the UK air space right now.

“I am very cognisant that this will disrupt people’s travel plans – those who are waiting to arrive in the UK, those waiting to depart, and I do sympathise with any disruption they may be experiencing.”

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:20

1693235154BA urges short-haul passengers not to travel to airport without checking flightBritish Airways has urged short-hall passengers not to travel to the airport without checking whether their flight has been cancelled, as the airline warned of “significant change” to its schedule.

In a statement, BA said: “Like all airlines using UK airspace, our flights are being severely disrupted my a major issue affected NATS Air Traffic Control.

“As a result, we have had to make a significant change to our schedule today. If you are travelling on a short-haul service today, Monday August 28, please do not travel to the airport without checking the status of your flight, as it may no longer be operating.”

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:05

1693234622Breaking: Technical issue ‘identified and remedied’, National Air Traffic Services saysNational Air Traffic Services (Nats) has “identified and remedied” the technical issue which has caused hundreds of flights to be cancelled, the company has announced.

“We are now working closely with airlines and airports to manage the flights affected as efficiently as possible,” the company said in a statement. “Our engineers will be carefully monitoring the system’s performance as we return to normal operations.

“The flight planning issue affected the system’s ability to automatically process flight plans, meaning that flight plans had to be processed manually which cannot be done at the same volume, hence the requirement for traffic flow restrictions.

“Our priority is always to ensure that every flight in the UK remains safe and we are sincerely sorry for the disruption this is causing. Please contact your airline for information on how this may affect your flight.”

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 15:57

1693233182More than 500 flights to and from UK cancelled so farAs engineers work to fix the air-traffic control system failure, the scale of the travel chaos is becoming apparent.

The aviation analyst Cirium says 232 flights have been cancelled departing UK airports so far today, equivalent to around 8 per cent of all departures.

Inbound to the UK, 271 flights have been cancelled arriving into UK airports – equivalent to around 9 per cent of arrivals.

Those numbers are certain to increase as delays extend – leading to pilots and cabin crew running “out of hours” in which they are able to fly.

Simon Calder28 August 2023 15:33

1693232702Tui warns of ‘significant delays’Tui has warned of “significant delays” due to the air traffic control outage.

In a reply to a passenger asking if their flight on Tuesday morning is likely to be delayed, Tui posted on Twitter/X, saying: “Due to an air traffic control outage across UK airports, we expect that this may cause significant delays to some of our flights.

“We would like to advise customers to monitor the departure boards or your emails for further updates. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 15:25

1693232272UK airspace ‘remains open’, says transport secretaryOur political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:

The transport secretary has said UK airspace “remains open” but restrictions are in place.

Mark Harper said: “UK airspace remains open but traffic flow restrictions are in place. NATS is working at pace to fix this and Aviation Minister Charlotte Vere and I are doing all we can to support them.

“In the meantime, passengers should contact their airline for up to date flight information.”

Andy Gregory28 August 2023 15:17