Flight delays and cancellations continued across the UK on 21 September 2026 despite National Air Traffic Services (Nats) resolving a technical fault at its Prestwick Centre in Scotland by 10:30am that morning. The connectivity issue at Prestwick, which manages air traffic control for Scotland and northern England, has been fixed, but operational disruption remains widespread.
Delays and Cancellations Widespread Across UK Airports
Delays of up to one hour were reported at Manchester Airport as confirmed by the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which also noted delays at East Midlands Airport. Belfast City Airport cancelled several flights including routes to and from Manchester, Amsterdam, London City, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
Passengers experienced disruptions at major Scottish airports including Glasgow, Prestwick, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Benbecula, as well as at Newcastle and Belfast.
AGS, the operator of Glasgow Airport, reported ongoing delays primarily at Glasgow with knock-on effects across its network. Edinburgh Airport similarly confirmed delays linked to the Prestwick issue. Flights departing and arriving in northern UK regions continue to face disruptions.
Nats and Airlines Report Disruption Figures and Scope
Ryanair stated its operations were significantly affected, with 140 flights disrupted and approximately 25,000 passengers impacted across flights covering Scotland and northern England airspace. More than 200 UK flights were expected to be cancelled by the end of 21
September 2026 due to the ongoing operational difficulties.
Nats clarified that airports south of Manchester faced minimal impact but flights heading northward or departing Scottish airports continued to see delays. Airlines including British Airways and Jet2 expressed frustration over the continuing interruptions to service.
Cause and Background of the Air Traffic Control Fault
The issue at Nats’ Prestwick Centre was caused by a connectivity fault unrelated to an earlier software defect that forced the cancellation of 2,000 UK flights on 8 September 2026. This latest fault marks the fourth nationwide air traffic incident linked to Nats in just over three years, following a radar-related failure in July 2025 and
a computer shutdown in August 2023.
Three days before 21 September, Nats had issued a report pledging improved system reliability, but this fault undercut those assurances. Martin Rolfe, Nats CEO, rejected calls to resign, citing the previous September software defect as “very, very obscure”. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) considers disruptions from the Prestwick fault as “extraordinary circumstances,” making passenger compensation unlikely.
Passenger Impact and Official Reactions
Passengers faced cancellations and were forced to rebook. For instance, a family from Kilmarnock had to reschedule a flight to Paris, while a Glasgow passenger bound for Las Vegas experienced a missed connection due to cancellation of a
London-bound segment. Some passengers were delayed on runways for nearly two hours, disrupting onward international plans.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander labelled the situation “deeply frustrating” and confirmed the issue was resolved. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney committed to engaging with Nats to improve system resilience. A Nats spokesperson said: “The issue in our Prestwick centre is now fixed. We are working with airports and airlines to safely lift air traffic regulations as quickly as we can to minimise any further disruption.” The spokesperson added, “Passengers should still check the status of their flight with their airline. We apologise for
the disruption.”
Airline representatives criticized the recurring failures. Ryanair’s COO Neal McMahon questioned the reliability of Nats’ mitigation plans announced just days prior. Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy called the repeated disruptions “simply not good enough.” British Airways described the incident as “yet another technical fault with Nats” and found it disappointing.
Nats’ Role in UK Air Traffic and Industry Response
Nats manages approximately 2.5 million flights annually across UK airspace and operates the Prestwick Centre. The recent faults add to a pattern of significant service failures in the UK’s air traffic control network observed over the past three years, including the August 2023 computer shutdown that affected 700,000 passengers.
The repeated interruptions have intensified calls from airlines and officials for Nats to strengthen system resilience and deliver reliable air traffic services. The CAA continues to oversee airline responsibilities during these disruptions amidst heightened scrutiny of Nats’ operational performance.
