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New air traffic control failure delays flights at some UK airports
Reuters • • business
Key Points:
- Flights at several British airports, including Manchester, Glasgow, and Belfast, were delayed due to an air traffic control failure at NATS' Prestwick centre in Scotland, with some disruptions also reported at London Gatwick and London City airports.
- The issue was identified as a connectivity problem unrelated to a separate software defect from two weeks prior that caused about 2,000 flight cancellations nationwide.
- British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander confirmed the problem was fixed and systems were resuming, acknowledging passenger frustration following recent disruptions.
- The Civil Aviation Authority stated passengers are unlikely to receive compensation for delays directly caused by the incident but emphasized airlines should provide passenger care.
- EasyJet criticized NATS for repeated system failures, highlighting concerns over the resilience of its air traffic control operations after a costly outage in August 2023.
