Over 1,000 flights in the UK were cancelled on Tuesday due to a technical issue in the air traffic control system, the flight monitoring website Flightradar24 reported. Airports across Britain were witnessing flight delays and cancellations after air traffic control provider NATS experienced a technical glitch.
Air-traffic chiefs said that since planes could not take off safely, departures were severely delayed. Nearly two hours after the air traffic issues persisted across the United Kingdom, the National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS) said engineers had identified the problem and had fixed it, The Independent reported. However, it wasn’t clear how much time it would take for the system to return to normal.
.
UK Air Travel · Breaking
UK air travel disruption: What went wrong?
A technical fault at NATS, Britain's air-traffic control provider, disrupted departures at major airports on September 8.
~300
flight cancellations reported by Flightradar24 at one point
Developing story — figures are current as of the last update and expected to change.
Departures queuing up across UK airspace
Aircraft queue and stall as NATS restricts throughput to match reduced system capacity — the red marker is the restriction point.
A technical fault, not a safety issue
NATS, the UK's air-traffic control provider, identified a problem in its flight-processing system on the afternoon of September 8. Airspace remained open throughout — but departures were deliberately restricted to match what the system could safely handle.
NATS' own statement: flights were still departing and airspace remained open, "but recovery will take some time."
The biggest airports hit
Departures were disrupted across England and Scotland's busiest hubs:
Heathrow
Gatwick
Stansted
Manchester
Birmingham
Luton
Edinburgh
The immediate impact
Nearly 300 cancellations reported by Flightradar24 at one point, with hundreds more flights delayed.
~100
Heathrow cancellations
367
Heathrow delays
~31%
Of Gatwick's schedule delayed
~300
Total cancellations (Flightradar24)
Why the disruption spread
One system fault, cascading across the network:
ATC processing failure
↓
Departures restricted
↓
Aircraft & crews displaced
↓
Missed connections
↓
Knock-on delays across Europe
What passengers should do
Check your airline's status page before travelling to the airport.
Don't assume a delayed flight will operate on its revised time — schedules are being revised repeatedly.
Expect knock-on disruption even after the system itself is restored.
NATS has said recovery will take time even once flights resume normally.
Source: NATS statements; Associated Press; FlightAware and Flightradar24 data via multiple wire reports, Sept 8, 2026. This is a developing story — cancellation and delay figures were accurate as of the latest update available and are likely to change.
A NATS spokesperson said, “We apologise for the delay this will cause to journeys. Passengers should check with their airline on the status of their flight.”
The air traffic control service @NATS is experiencing a technical issue which is impacting arriving and departing flights across UK airports.
We are supporting our local NATS team in their efforts to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Heathrow Airport, in a statement earlier, said that it was working with NATS to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and that arriving flights were not currently affected.
In a post on X, Heathrow Airport stated, “The air traffic control service is experiencing a technical issue which is impacting departing flights at UK airports. Arriving flights are not currently impacted. We are supporting our local NATS team in their efforts to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We will provide updated information when we have it. We apologise to those disrupted and advise passengers to check with their airline for latest flight information.”
ℹ️ Technical issue
We have implemented a fix and our flight system is starting to recover. We are continuing to work closely with our airline and airport customers on recovery. (1/2) https://t.co/MEDLS3UUWT
A BBC report stated that Heathrow Airport has apparently run out of space where it couldn’t take any arriving flights because there’s been no departure.
As of 1700 UTC, 625 flights have been canceled at airports in the UK following an earlier technical problem at NATS’ Shanwick ATC facility.
The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis.
A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students.
All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence.
Core Team
The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy:
Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership.
Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage.
Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More
Planes are parked at Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport in London (AP/ Representational)
