A technical failure in the flight processing system operated by National Air Traffic Services (NATS) caused widespread flight cancellations and delays across major UK airports on September 8 and 9, 2026. The disruption began around 1pm Tuesday and was resolved nearly four hours later at 4:40pm, but left over 1,000 flights cancelled by that evening and 177 additional cancellations on Wednesday. Key airports affected included London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Stansted.
Airline Impact and Passenger Delays
Ryanair reported cancellations of 50 flights and delays affecting more than 65,000 passengers due to the disruption. British Airways confirmed ongoing operational issues into Wednesday and offered free rebooking
for affected customers through September 11. EasyJet also experienced knock-on effects across European routes, and Eurocontrol stated that some inbound flights to southern England were held at international airports. The disruption affected flights in and out of Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Belfast airports.
Dublin Airport Operations and Passenger Assistance
Dublin Airport operated a full flight schedule on Wednesday following around 90 cancellations caused by the UK disruption the previous day. The airport remained open overnight to assist passengers stranded by Tuesday’s cancellations, enabling airlines to reposition aircraft for normal operations on Wednesday. However, officials warned of potential ongoing disruptions across the European network
and encouraged passengers to confirm the status of their flights directly with airlines.
Official Statements and Investigation
NATS Chief Executive Martin Rolfe stated the fault in the flight processing system was different from previous outages in 2023 and 2025. He confirmed that cyberattack was ruled out at this stage and emphasized that flight safety remained the priority, with ground stops implemented only when necessary. Rolfe apologized for the disruption and said NATS is cooperating with airlines and airports on recovery efforts. He was scheduled to brief UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander on the incident.
Industry Criticism and NATS’ Role
Ryanair’s COO Neal McMahon condemned the failures, calling them “abhorrent,”
and called for the resignation of NATS CEO Martin Rolfe, citing repeated system breakdowns. Wizz Air also expressed “extreme disappointment” over the technical failure and its impact on passengers. NATS manages air traffic for 15 UK airports, handling approximately 2.5 million flights annually, and this event marked the third major air traffic control stoppage in the UK within just over three years.
Background on UK Air Traffic Control
NATS provides the UK’s upper airspace air traffic control and services 15 major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Belfast, and Stansted. The UK’s air traffic system has experienced multiple major stoppages in recent years, notably in
2023 and 2025. Heathrow has faced additional transport disruptions recently, including a rail link suspension due to fire and a shutdown caused by a power outage.
