Key facts
- Airlines criticized UK air traffic control after a second technical problem caused flight disruptions.
- EasyJet called the incident a question of resilience, while Wizz Air cited a 'national confidence crisis' in Nats.
- The Prestwick technical problem was a 'connectivity issue' distinct from a prior software defect at Swanwick.
- At least 200 flights were cancelled or did not fly on Monday, including 100 arrivals and 99 departures.
- EasyJet had 47 cancellations, and British Airways had 11 cancellations.
- The UK Civil Aviation Authority stated passengers are unlikely to receive compensation due to 'extraordinary circumstances'.
Airlines have voiced strong criticism of the UK's air traffic control system, National Air Traffic Services (Nats), following a second technical failure in less than two weeks. The latest incident, a 'connectivity issue' at the Prestwick control centre in Ayrshire, caused significant disruption to flights across Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England on Monday.
This disruption is separate from a software defect at Swanwick that led to the cancellation of 2,000 flights earlier in September. Nats stated that the underlying issue causing Monday's disruption has been resolved and that operations were back at full capacity, though knock-on effects were anticipated.
EasyJet described the incident as "once again call[ing] into question the resilience" of the service, while Wizz Air UK managing director Yvonne Moynihan called for "urgent reform" and expressed a "national confidence crisis" in Nats, questioning its leadership and board.
According to aviation analytics company Cirium, by 13:45 BST, at least 200 flights had been cancelled or did not operate, including 100 arrivals and 99 departures from the UK. EasyJet was the most affected, with 47 cancellations, followed by British Airways with 11.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority indicated that passengers affected by the disruption were unlikely to be entitled to compensation, as the technical issue would likely be considered 'extraordinary circumstances' under passenger rights rules. Airlines UK, an industry body, stated that passengers and airlines "deserve better" after "yet another Nats failure".
Ryanair reiterated calls for Nats chief Martin Rolfe to resign, citing his failure to deliver a reliable system or an effective backup. The latest outage affected 140 Ryanair flights and 25,000 passengers. Nats apologized for the disruption, acknowledging that technology can fail but emphasizing that safety remains its top priority.