Air traffic control problems have disrupted departures at several UK airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, with hundreds of flights cancelled and further delays expected.
The disruption is linked to a technical problem affecting NATS, the UK’s air traffic control provider. Heathrow temporarily paused departures around lunchtime on Tuesday before operations resumed, although further stop-start disruption followed during the afternoon.
Gatwick also confirmed that it was affected, while East Midlands Airport reported disruption and Manchester Airport warned passengers that some departing flights could be delayed.
The problems have created significant knock-on effects as airlines work to clear the backlog of aircraft, passengers and crews.
Flight-tracking data indicated that up to about 1,000 flights could be cancelled as a result of the disruption, with passengers facing delays and missed connections.
NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe apologised for the disruption and said the organisation would conduct a thorough investigation into what caused the technical failure.
The issue has primarily affected departing flights, while incoming aircraft have generally continued to land. Airports have advised passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest information before travelling.
NATS said the UK’s airspace remained open and that flights were continuing to operate, but warned that recovering from the disruption would take time as airlines worked through the backlog.
Transport authorities are expected to examine the latest failure and its impact on the resilience of the UK’s air traffic control system.