A technical fault in the NATS air traffic control flight data system led to over 2,000 flight cancellations and disruptions across UK airports on September 8 and 9, 2026. The outage affected major airports including London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester, grounding approximately 30% of departures on September 8 and 5% on September 9.
Airlines Report Significant Flight Cancellations and Losses
Ryanair cancelled 260 flights affecting 48,000 passengers during the outage, reporting £3 million in losses as of September 9. British Airways also experienced severe disruption, cancelling or diverting 100 flights on September 8 and cancelling 190 flights on September 9. The cancellations severely impacted airline operations and
passenger travel plans across the UK.
Government Response and Investigations Initiated
Transport Minister Heidi Alexander summoned NATS CEO Martin Rolfe to provide an explanation for the failure. She ordered the Civil Aviation Authority to conduct an independent review to determine the outage’s cause and ensure air traffic control systems reliability. A UK government spokesperson described the disruption as “completely unacceptable” but affirmed confidence in Rolfe, who has been tasked with leading an investigation to report within one week.
Previous Failures and Ownership Background
This is the second major failure at NATS within three years; a 2023 shutdown was triggered by a rogue flight plan, while a separate radar-related technical issue
affected UK airports including Heathrow in July 2025. NATS operates as a public-private partnership with partial ownership by British Airways, easyJet, pension funds, and the UK government. In 2025, NATS paid its owners £175 million in dividends, raising questions about investment in system upgrades and staffing.
Ongoing Impact on Passengers and Official Statements
Hundreds of thousands of passengers were stranded by the cancellations, with airlines and airports struggling to handle the resulting backlog. Heathrow and other major hubs noted ongoing knock-on effects as aircraft and crews reposition. NATS spokeswoman confirmed a full internal investigation is underway to identify root causes and any further necessary actions. Ryanair CEO
Michael O’Leary described the incident as “an absolute rerun” of the 2023 outage, reiterating calls for NATS leadership changes.
The investigation led by CEO Martin Rolfe is scheduled to conclude within a week of September 9, 2026, as authorities seek to restore confidence in UK air traffic control reliability.
