More than 250 flights were cancelled across key UK airports on 21 September 2026 following a technical failure at the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) Prestwick centre in Scotland. The connectivity issue significantly reduced Scotland’s air traffic capacity by 60%, disrupting operations at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Manchester, Belfast International, and Glasgow.
Flight Cancellations and Delays Affect Thousands Across UK
EasyJet cancelled over 20 flights as a direct result of the Prestwick incident. Ryanair experienced delays on more than 140 flights, affecting over 25,000 passengers nationwide. Delays concentrated on flights departing from or heading towards northern airports while those operating south of Manchester were largely unaffected. The
incident, unrelated to the earlier software fault on 8 September 2026 that caused over 2,000 flight cancellations, led to significant travel disruptions for passengers today.
Industry and Government Response Amidst Renewed Criticism
NATS described the incident as a “connectivity issue” at its Prestwick centre, which has since been resolved. A spokesperson said, “We are working with airports and airlines to safely lift air traffic regulations and minimise any further disruption.” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed engineers had fixed the problem but warned that delays might continue as systems reset.
Airlines have sharply criticized NATS. EasyJet stated, “This latest flight disruption calls into question the resilience of NATS’
systems and demonstrates the need for firm actions to prevent repeated failures.” Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy demanded “action, accountability and proper resilience,” asserting that repeated failures were unacceptable and that costs would be billed to NATS. Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer Neal McMahon blamed NATS CEO Martin Rolfe for ongoing system failures and disruptions. Airlines UK CEO Tim Alderslade described the failure as “yet another NATS failure causing delays and disruption,” calling for urgent improvements to the UK’s air traffic control resilience.
Historical Context of NATS Air Traffic Control Failures
This is the latest in a series of recent air traffic control incidents in the UK. A radar-related fault
in July 2025 led to cancellations of over 160 flights, while a technical glitch in August 2023 disrupted more than 700,000 passengers. NATS manages approximately 2.5 million flights annually under a public-private partnership with 49% government ownership since 2001. The 21 September failure, unrelated to the software defect two weeks prior, has intensified scrutiny of the UK’s air traffic infrastructure.
Passenger Impact and Travel Advice for 21 September
Passengers flying from Edinburgh, Belfast International, Manchester, Glasgow, Heathrow, and Gatwick should expect delays and cancellations through Monday, 21 September 2026. The disruption has predominantly affected flights heading north and those departing from Scottish airports. Travelers impacted by EasyJet and
Ryanair cancellations are advised to use airline flight trackers for updated information.
NATS apologized for the disruption and emphasized the safety-driven application of air traffic regulations during the incident. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander indicated that although systems are resuming normal operations, continuing delays may occur during the operational reset.
