Key facts
- A technical failure in air traffic control equipment at London Heathrow Airport has led to a complete grounding of all departing flights.
- The departure ground stop took effect at 12:48 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
- Airport management confirmed that outgoing operations have been temporarily halted while technical teams investigate.
- Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights directly with their airlines.
- Severe knock-on delays are expected throughout the afternoon and evening.
- Takeoffs began to resume around 1:35 PM local time, with high calculated take-off times expected until 17:00 UTC.
All departing flights at London Heathrow Airport were grounded on Tuesday afternoon due to a technical failure in air traffic control equipment. The departure ground stop, effective at 12:48 p.m. local time, disrupted ATC communications and equipment, leading airport management to temporarily halt all outgoing operations.
Technical teams are currently on-site investigating the issue and working to restore normal systems functionality. Passengers are strongly advised to check the status of their flights directly with their respective airlines before traveling to the airport, as severe knock-on delays are anticipated throughout the afternoon and evening.
This incident follows an earlier disruption to Heathrow arrivals that morning, caused by a bird strike which temporarily suspended incoming flights on runway 27R. While that runway reopened shortly after, the subsequent system-wide ATC outage has exacerbated delays across the airfield.
As of 1:35 PM local time, takeoffs began to resume at Heathrow, with flights like American Airlines AA55 to Chicago noted among the first departures. However, high calculated take-off times are expected to persist until approximately 17:00 UTC.