The failure of air traffic control’s network had a significant impact on multiple airports, including Heathrow, causing extensive delays for numerous passengers both in the UK and abroad on Bank Holiday Monday. According to Nats, the leading provider of air traffic control services in the country, the system’s inability to automatically process flight plans resulted in the need for manual intervention. Although the issue was resolved in the afternoon, it still led to flight cancellations and delays of up to 12 hours, affecting approximately one million passengers on one of the busiest travel days of the year. If you are scheduled to travel today or later this week, is it likely that you will encounter further air traffic problems? Here is the latest information:
Are there air traffic issues today?
While the computer problem has been resolved, it is anticipated to have a ripple effect on today’s flights, and disruption could persist throughout the week. Passengers are advised to verify their flight details with their respective airlines before heading to the airport, as flight times may have been altered or cancelled altogether. For those traveling today, the situation at the main airports is as follows:
The chaos caused by cancellations and hours of delay affected airports across the UK, including Heathrow (Picture: Getty Images)
Heathrow Airport has stated that even though the technical problem has been fixed, schedules remain significantly disrupted. They request that passengers only travel to the airport if their flight has been confirmed as operating. Heathrow Airport is working tirelessly to minimize the ripple effects and assist those who have been impacted. For the most up-to-date flight information, including arrival and departure times, it is advisable to contact your airline directly.
Gatwick Airport announced on X (formerly Twitter): ‘London Gatwick plans to operate a regular schedule on Tuesday 29 August following the disruptions experienced today (28 August). However, passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with the airline prior to traveling to the airport.’
London Gatwick plans to operate a normal schedule on Tuesday 29 August following disruption today (28 August). Passengers are however advised to check the status of their flight with the airline before travelling to the airport. — London Gatwick LGW (@Gatwick_Airport) August 28, 2023
Stansted Airport shared on X: ‘London Stansted Airport expects to run a normal flight schedule on Tuesday 29 August, following the nationwide technical issue that affected air traffic control. They recommend that passengers check the status of their flight with their airline before traveling to the airport and anticipate busier-than-usual terminals due to the disruption experienced yesterday.
Luton Airport stated: ‘Flights may encounter delays or cancellations as a result of technical issues experienced with Air Traffic Control systems across UK airspace yesterday. Please refer to your airline for the most current flight status.’
Manchester Airport reports that there are still some delays and cancellations, and advises passengers to check the flight status with their airline prior to traveling to the airport.
Birmingham Airport mentioned: ‘We anticipate full passenger loads on incoming and outgoing flights today, including services rescheduled from yesterday. It might take several days for Monday’s air traffic system failure effects to fully dissipate. Customers are advised to follow the latest updates from their airlines.’
Numerous flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Monday (Picture: EPA)
Glasgow Airport acknowledges that a small number of today’s services are still being affected and advises passengers to consult their airlines for the most recent updates. Other airports throughout the UK may also be impacted, so it is recommended to check with your airline before commencing your journey in case of potential flight cancellations or delays.
It may take some time for things to return to normal (Picture: Getty Images)
When will things return to normal?
While airports and airlines continue to work on resolving the issues resulting from the outage, it may take several days to return to normal due to the backlog of cancelled flights, stranded passengers, and the repositioning of aircraft. Juliet Kennedy, the operations director of National Air Traffic Services, stated that it will require some time for flights to regain regularity. Travel expert Simon Calder also offered advice to vacationers, stating on BBC Breakfast: ‘Up to 200,000 individuals woke up this morning in unexpected locations. For some of them, it is uncertain when they will be able to return, and I’m afraid the situation may worsen before it improves.
MORE: Christine McGuinness ‘stranded’ abroad with ‘no idea when she’ll get home’ amidst UK air traffic chaos
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First appear at Are there air traffic problems today? UK air space latest update as millions of people’s travel plans are thrown into chaos
