An additional 279 flights have been cancelled on Wednesday as travel chaos continues following a technical failure at Nats, the air traffic control provider serving 15 UK airports. On Tuesday, the issue resulted in 1,300 flight cancellations, with the latest figures indicating persistent disruption into the following day.
The majority of Wednesday’s cancellations stem from departures at London Heathrow, although all UK airports under Nats’ oversight are experiencing some level of impact. Major hubs including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Stansted are reporting knock-on delays expected to persist throughout the day, affecting tens of thousands of passengers.
Travel journalist Simon Calder described the anticipated effects as “going to be horrible,” noting that numerous cancellations are expected in the morning due to flights that failed to depart the previous evening.
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Ryanair has reported that over 65,000 of its passengers were affected, cancelling more than 50 scheduled services. British Airways also faced serious disruption, cancelling or diverting over 100 flights on Tuesday, which impacted tens of thousands of customers.
The disruption has prompted strong criticism towards Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe, particularly over reports of passengers being stranded on aircraft on runways for extended periods without adequate access to food, drink, or toilet facilities. Speaking to Sky News, Rolfe acknowledged the responsibility, stating: “I am the CEO of a piece of critical infrastructure, so it is my job to take responsibility for that. What I absolutely take responsibility for is keeping people safe and delivering the best service we possibly can on a day like today.”
Meanwhile, Luton Airport confirmed early on Wednesday that it remains “open and operational,” but cautioned that some flights could still be disrupted, advising passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport.