UK Flight Chaos: 300 Flights Canceled As NATS System Failure Disrupts Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester

Nearly 300 flights were cancelled across the UK on Tuesday after a technical failure hit the flight processing system operated by air traffic control provider NATS, triggering widespread disruption at some of the country's busiest airports. Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted were among the airports affected, with passengers facing cancellations, lengthy delays and changes to travel plans. Despite the disruption, UK airspace remained open and flights continued to operate under traffic restrictions. AI-generated summary, reviewed by editors NATS identifies technical fault NATS said the problem had been traced to its flight processing system and that engineers were working urgently to restore normal operations. "We have identified that the issue was in our flight processing system," the organisation said, apologising to passengers for the disruption. NATS stressed that the problem had not resulted in the closure of UK airspace. However, restrictions on the volume of aircraft moving through affected airspace meant that normal flight schedules could not immediately resume. The agency warned that recovery would take time as airlines and airports worked through the backlog created by the technical failure. Major airports hit by delays and cancellations The disruption was felt across several major UK airports. Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted reported significant problems, while London Luton and Birmingham were also affected. Airports in Scotland, including Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, warned travellers of possible disruption. The effects were also felt outside the UK, with Dublin Airport reporting delays to some arriving and departing flights. Flightradar24 said the disruption affected both arrivals and departures across the London flight information region.