More than 250 flights were cancelled across the United Kingdom on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, due to a technical failure in the air traffic control system operated by NATS. The disruption followed roughly 1,300 cancellations on Tuesday, 8 September, caused by the same issue.
Airports Most Affected by Cancellations
Heathrow Airport, the UK’s busiest, bore the brunt of Wednesday’s cancellations, with nearly all scrapped flights originating there. Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh airports in the UK, and Dublin Airport in Ireland were also affected by the ongoing disruption.
Airline Flight Cuts and Passenger Impact
British Airways cancelled or diverted more than 100 flights, impacting tens of thousands of passengers. Ryanair cancelled
over 50 flights, disrupting more than 65,000 passengers across its network. Delays and cancellations forced passengers at Gatwick to endure extended waits on runways, with one healthcare worker describing the experience as “an absolute nightmare”.
Official Statements on the NATS System Failure
NATS acknowledged a “system issue” that caused the disruption and confirmed on Tuesday night that the technical glitch was resolved, though recovery of the network continued on Wednesday. The organisation apologized unreservedly and said it was “working as hard as possible to clear the backlog of flights,” adding that the recovery process was “very complex” and affecting the entire aviation network.
Heathrow Airport suspended arrivals
on Tuesday as a direct result but resumed departures later that day. The airport warned that disruption was expected to continue and posted on social media advising passengers to confirm flight status before travelling. British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was “seeking assurances that lessons will be learned and systems that support aviation are up to the job.” In contrast, Ryanair COO Neal McMahon called for the removal of NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe, stating, “Enough is enough, it’s time for the UK government to intervene…and put somebody in charge who can do the job.”
Passenger Experiences and Travel Disruption
Passengers faced extensive cancellations
and delays, with tens of thousands affected. At Gatwick, passengers remained stuck on runways for hours. Ryanair’s Belfast to Dublin route, among others, saw cancellations reflecting the knock-on effect at Dublin Airport, which cancelled dozens of flights. The disruption also affected sports travel; Arsenal football club missed a scheduled news conference in Italy due to flight delays tied to the air traffic control failure.
Background on UK Air Traffic Control Failures
The September 2026 disruption follows a similar large-scale UK air traffic control failure in 2023, which impacted over 700,000 passengers and resulted in widespread flight cancellations and delays. These repeated system failures expose vulnerabilities in NATS’
air traffic management, which remains under scrutiny for reliable operation across the UK’s complex aviation network.
