TravelNews & AdviceNats, the national air-traffic service, says traffic flow restrictions have been imposed to maintain safety <\/p>\n
Flights risk \u2018diversion\u2019 amid UK air traffic system failure, Simon Calder says<\/p>\n
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Holidaymakers are facing travel chaos after the UK\u2019s air traffic control system was hit by a major fault. <\/p>\n
National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said at 3:15pm that it had \u201cidentified and remedied\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
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 \u2013 with many facing delays of up to 12 hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are now working closely with airlines and airports to manage the flights affected as efficiently as possible,\u201d NATS said in a statement. \u201cOur engineers will be carefully monitoring the system\u2019s performance as we return to normal operations.<\/p>\n
Anyone planning on flying today is being advised to contact their airlines for the latest updates. <\/p>\n
Have you been affected by delays? If so email andy.gregory@independent.co.uk<\/p>\n
1693237564An \u2018absolute nightmare\u2019: F1 fans \u2018stranded 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 \u201ccurrently stranded in Schiphol Airport\u201d.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cabsolute nightmare\u201d.<\/p>\n
While they have managed to rebook their flight tomorrow, it will arrive in Edinburgh instead \u2013 and there are no hotels available on the EasyJet app, Ms Blaney said. <\/p>\n
Her brother, who had been due to fly to Gran Canaria at 6am tomorrow, will no longer be able to make his trip.<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:46<\/p>\n
1693236880\u2018A happy travel story\u2019: Gabby Logan \u2018boarded and heading home\u2019Broadcaster Gabby Logan, who earlier said she was facing possible delays of 12 hours, has now announced that she is \u201cboarded and heading home\u201d, adding: \u201cWe are very lucky to be flying home tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
The presenter revealed previously that she was stuck on the runway at Budapest having been away from home for three weeks.<\/p>\n
However, a fellow passenger on the flight \u2013 who said they had been planning \u201cexotic rail journeys across Europe to get us back to the UK\u201d while stuck in the terminal \u2013 has written to The Independent to say: \u201cDon\u2019t hold your breath\u201d for take-off.<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:34<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI don\u2019t 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\u2019t it. It\u2019s annoying, I\u2019m going to see my girlfriend in Sweden, but if I don\u2019t go today I\u2019ll go tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
A British Airways staff member speaks to a passenger at Heathrow Airport Terminal 3<\/p>\n
(REUTERS)<\/p>\n
A view shows the departures board at London Heathrow Terminal 3<\/p>\n
(REUTERS)<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:28<\/p>\n
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:<\/p>\n
1pm: We caught the bus from San Sebasti\u00e1n 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.<\/p>\n
1.30pm: Husband Al started Googling news and seeing that planes being delayed \/ cancelled. I was refreshing Ryanair app constantly \u2013 nothing. Panicking!<\/p>\n
1.50pm: Al noticed Ryanair website reporting flights being cancelled due to ATC \u2013 still nothing on Ryanair app.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019t get hold of anyone anymore.<\/p>\n
2.42pm: Husband realised hotel prices going through roof so books cosmopolitan hotel for \u00a3180 \u2013 other people who booked 10 mins after us couldn\u2019t get anything for less than \u00a3300.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
2.50pm: Refresh app and now it\u2019s working to \u2018change flights\u2019 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 (\u00a3350) at 10am tomorrow morning and then book Eurostar \u2013 website crashes as well and price goes up an extra \u00a3170 based on demand. We pay \u00a3550 for Eurostar tickets for tomorrow at 16.15 for 2 adults and 1 x four year old.<\/p>\n
3pm: Email alert comes through from Ryanair saying flight is delayed till 17.50 \u2013 causes mass confusion and everyone panics having paid hundreds of pounds to book alternate flights etc.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Simon Calder28 August 2023 16:25<\/p>\n
1693236019Suella Braverman offers sympathies to those facing disruptionHome secretary Suella Braverman has offered her sympathy with anyone impacted by the air traffic control problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis issue is evolving right now, as we speak,\u201d she told broadcasters. \u201cWhat we do know is that there has been a national outage at national air traffic control and that this has affected UK air space.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will affect all incoming and outgoing flights and also those aircraft which are in the UK air space right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very cognisant that this will disrupt people\u2019s travel plans \u2013 those who are waiting to arrive in the UK, those waiting to depart, and I do sympathise with any disruption they may be experiencing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:20<\/p>\n
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 \u201csignificant change\u201d to its schedule.<\/p>\n
In a statement, BA said: \u201cLike all airlines using UK airspace, our flights are being severely disrupted my a major issue affected NATS Air Traffic Control. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 16:05<\/p>\n
1693234622Breaking: Technical issue \u2018identified and remedied\u2019, National Air Traffic Services saysNational Air Traffic Services (Nats) has \u201cidentified and remedied\u201d the technical issue which has caused hundreds of flights to be cancelled, the company has announced.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are now working closely with airlines and airports to manage the flights affected as efficiently as possible,\u201d the company said in a statement. \u201cOur engineers will be carefully monitoring the system\u2019s performance as we return to normal operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe flight planning issue affected the system\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 15:57<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Inbound to the UK, 271 flights have been cancelled arriving into UK airports \u2013 equivalent to around 9 per cent of arrivals.<\/p>\n
Those numbers are certain to increase as delays extend \u2013 leading to pilots and cabin crew running \u201cout of hours\u201d in which they are able to fly.<\/p>\n
Simon Calder28 August 2023 15:33<\/p>\n
1693232702Tui warns of \u2018significant delays’Tui has warned of \u201csignificant delays\u201d due to the air traffic control outage.<\/p>\n
In a reply to a passenger asking if their flight on Tuesday morning is likely to be delayed, Tui posted on Twitter\/X, saying: \u201cDue to an air traffic control outage across UK airports, we expect that this may cause significant delays to some of our flights.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would like to advise customers to monitor the departure boards or your emails for further updates. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 15:25<\/p>\n
1693232272UK airspace \u2018remains open\u2019, says transport secretaryOur political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:<\/p>\n
The transport secretary has said UK airspace \u201cremains open\u201d but restrictions are in place.<\/p>\n
Mark Harper said: \u201cUK 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the meantime, passengers should contact their airline for up to date flight information.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory28 August 2023 15:17<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TravelNews & AdviceNats, the national air-traffic service, says traffic flow restrictions have been imposed to maintain safety Flights risk \u2018diversion\u2019 amid UK air traffic system failure, Simon Calder says Sign up to Simon Calder\u2019s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discountsGet Simon Calder\u2019s Travel email Holidaymakers are facing travel chaos after the UK\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n