EasyJet cancelled more than 20 flights on Monday, 21 September 2026, following a 60% reduction in air traffic control capacity at the National Air Traffic Services (Nats) Prestwick centre caused by a connectivity issue.
Affected Regions and Airports
The disruption primarily impacted flights over Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England. Airports affected include Edinburgh Airport, Belfast International, Belfast City Airport, Manchester Airport, and East Midlands Airport. Nats confirmed that airports south of Manchester were broadly unaffected by the incident.
Flight Delays and Cancellations at Specific Airports
Edinburgh Airport experienced delays and several cancellations during Monday morning. Belfast City Airport recorded multiple cancellations involving flights to and from Manchester, Amsterdam, London City,
Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the Glasgow to City of Derry route. Manchester Airport encountered delays of up to one hour but had no cancellations, according to Manchester Airports Group. East Midlands Airport also saw some delays throughout the day.
Passengers reported significant delays: Peter Haydock’s flight expected to arrive at 9 a.m. was delayed until around 1:30 p.m., causing him to miss a work-related coach. Stephen Jaeger, travelling from San Francisco to Belfast via Edinburgh, experienced an 18-hour delay and was unable to secure a transfer flight until the following day.
Official Responses and Statements
Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, described the incident
as “incredibly disappointing” and stated the air traffic control system was not “sufficiently robust,” emphasizing that “something needs to change.” Dewar said the disruption was a repeat failure after a similar event two weeks prior and that both Nats and the government must prevent further recurrence.
First Minister John Swinney expressed regret over the disruption and confirmed that the issues were resolved. He stressed the importance of resilience in air traffic control systems and pledged to engage with Nats to ensure such failures do not reoccur.
Nats Response and Passenger Impact
Nats engineers are actively investigating the technical problem at the Prestwick Centre. The organization
apologized for the disruption and clarified the current incident is unrelated to the previous technical problem from two weeks earlier. Nats introduced air traffic regulations to manage demand while maintaining safety during the capacity reduction.
Passengers at affected airports faced cancellations and delays, with EasyJet customers directly advised to check their flight status and seek alternative arrangements. Operators and airports are working to minimize disruption and restore normal flight schedules.
Repeated Air Traffic Control Failures in UK Airspace
This disruption marks the second significant air traffic control failure within weeks impacting Scotland and northern UK airports. Nats’ Prestwick centre serves as a critical control point for air traffic
over this region. Despite unaffected airports south of Manchester, the ongoing issues raise concerns about the resilience and robustness of the air traffic infrastructure.
