Major UK airports hit by air traffic control problems

Even if Nats has resolved the issue with its flight processing system, the disruption is likely to persist due to backlogs.

Although the technical issue affected departures, arrivals were also hit as space on the ground became increasingly restricted.

As a result there is now a backlog of flights because some planes across Europe are in the wrong place.

Nats apologised for the delays caused and advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline, adding that it would provide updates on www.nats.aero and X.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that “it will take time to fully resume flights, so continue to check with airlines”.

“I am seeking assurances that lessons will be learned and systems that support aviation are up to the job,” she wrote on X.

According to Nats, the flight processing system processes flight plans and other operational information used by air traffic controllers to manage air traffic.

The system continually updates flight information as aircraft progress through UK airspace, helping controllers maintain a safe and orderly flow of traffic.

Phil White from Bexhill told BBC Your Voice that his flight to Lanzarote boarded on time but has been sitting on the tarmac at Gatwick for hours.

“We’ve been told the radar is down and we can’t take off,” Phil said.

“It’s comfortable enough but the pilots been on every 20 minutes saying they are waiting for information from air traffic control and when he finds anything out he will let us know.”

It is not the first time disruption has blighted Nats’s control system. Ryanair and Wizz Air called for an overhaul of the organisation, with Wizz Air saying Nats was “not fit for purpose” in its current form.