More than 2,000 flights were cancelled across over 15 UK airports on September 8 and 9, 2026, following a technical failure at the National Air Traffic Service (NATS). The disruption included over 1,750 cancellations on Tuesday and more than 150 on Wednesday. Heathrow and Gatwick airports were among the most affected, with tens of thousands of passengers impacted.
The NATS system failure on September 8 disrupted air traffic control operations across the UK. Ryanair reported that approximately 150,000 passengers experienced cancellations, while British Airways cancelled or diverted around 100 flights during the two-day period. The dislocation of aircraft and crews
caused knock-on effects on flight schedules throughout Europe. Investigations into the cause of the technical glitch remain ongoing.
Travel Advisories and Continuing Disruptions
Passengers traveling through Heathrow and Gatwick airports during and after September 9 are advised to verify their flight status with airlines before departing. Travel advisors are urged to monitor onward European connections closely, as displaced crews and aircraft may contribute to continued delays. Although operations have begun to recover, the ripple effects of the cancellations persist across UK and continental networks.
