UK Airports Disrupt Flights National Air Traffic Control Issue

A technical problem at National Air Traffic Services (NATS) caused widespread flight delays and disruptions across major UK airports, including Edinburgh, London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Stansted, Liverpool, and Luton. The issue led NATS to limit the number of aircraft flying in the London control area to maintain safety, grounding many flights and forcing some to hold in the air or divert to other European airports. Although the affected system was restored by the afternoon, airports and airlines warned that delays would continue as operations returned to normal. Passengers reported being stuck on tarmacs for extended periods or having flights unexpectedly redirected, with airlines urging travelers to check for updates. The disruption echoes a similar NATS technical glitch in August 2023 that affected over 700,000 passengers. NATS and airport officials apologized for the inconvenience and emphasized efforts to resolve the problem swiftly while prioritizing safety.