British Airways canceled almost 550 flights following a technical failure in the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) system, affecting more than 85,000 customers as of Thursday, 10 September 2026. The airline issued a statement at 09:00 on the same day confirming ongoing recovery efforts.
British Airways Response and Schedule Restoration
Since Tuesday, British Airways has rebooked more than 60,000 customers on alternative flights. On Wednesday 9 September, the carrier operated almost 80% of its planned schedule, despite canceling more than 190 flights from the original timetable due to aircraft and crew being out of position. British Airways expects to operate a normal schedule on Thursday 10
September 2026.
Cause of Disruption and Customer Policies
The disruption was caused by a technical failure in the NATS air traffic control system on Tuesday. This led to widespread cancellations and operational challenges affecting British Airways’ scheduling. The airline is offering free flight changes through the Manage My Booking service for customers scheduled to travel between Thursday 10 September and Sunday 13 September 2026 who choose not to travel.
Official Statements and Staff Recognition
British Airways stated at 09:00 on Thursday that teams were working to restore normal operations following the outage and thanked employees who worked beyond normal shifts or volunteered to support affected customers. The airline said it would
continue working to resolve remaining effects of the disruption.
Wider Aviation System Impact
British Airways highlighted the wider implications of the failure, showing how disruptions in one part of the aviation system can impact airlines and passengers across the network.
