More than 1,000 flights were cancelled across the United Kingdom on September 9, 2026, after a technical issue in the air traffic control system managed by Nats caused widespread disruption. The fault began around 1 p.m. and was resolved by 4:40 p.m., affecting major airports including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, as well as regional airports like Edinburgh and Belfast.
Airlines and Passenger Impact
British Airways cancelled or diverted over 100 flights on the day, impacting tens of thousands of passengers, with operational knock-on effects expected to continue through September 10. Ryanair reported more than 65,000 delayed passengers and 50 flights cancelled. Other
carriers affected included easyJet, KLM, Eurowings, and Wizz Air. Heathrow Airport suspended all inbound flights for the remainder of the evening.
Cause of Disruption and Historical Context
The disruption was caused by a technical fault in Nats’ flight processing system, which manages the UK’s air traffic control. Nats described the failure as an isolated incident distinct from previous outages in August 2023 and July 2025. This event marked the third major UK air traffic control failure within just over three years.
Traveler Impact and Official Responses
The disruption stranded hundreds of thousands of passengers across multiple airports and created a significant backlog of flights, leading to delays extending beyond September 9.
Nats Chief Executive Martin Rolfe apologised publicly and accepted full responsibility. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that technicians had fixed the issue and apologized to passengers, pledging to seek assurances on the aviation system’s reliability. Ryanair called for Rolfe’s resignation, while Wizz Air labelled Nats “simply not fit for purpose in its current form.”
Broader Implications
Knock-on effects disrupted inbound flights throughout Europe as airlines and airports worked to clear the backlog. This incident adds to the pattern of repeated UK air traffic control failures in recent years, affecting the broader European aviation network.
