UK air traffic control fault delays flights at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Stansted

khaleejtimes.com — September 8, 2026 at 04:01 PM UTC

A technical issue at UK air traffic control provider NATS disrupted departing flights at major British airports on Tuesday, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Stansted, causing restrictions and delays. NATS identified the problem in its flight processing system and said engineers are working to resume normal operations, though recovery will take time. Flights are still departing and airspace remains open, according to NATS. Edinburgh Airport warned of potential operational impacts, while Dublin Airport reported effects on both arrivals and departures. Flightradar24 noted heavy regulation of flights in the London flight information region due to the issue. This incident follows previous air traffic control failures, including a 2023 flight plan processing malfunction that cost airlines over £100 million in refunds and compensation, prompting regulator reviews. A radar-related issue in July last year also disrupted flights at major London airports for over four hours.

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