Heathrow and Gatwick Hit by NATS Air Traffic Control Issues

Air traffic control disruptions have prompted the cancellation and delay of departures from several airports across the United Kingdom. The outages stem from a technical fault within the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) system, which manages the majority of the country’s airspace. As a result, flights scheduled to depart from major hubs such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham have been affected, with airlines reporting a mix of cancellations, rescheduling and extended holding patterns.

NATS confirmed that the malfunction originated in a software component responsible for flight data processing, and that the issue is currently being isolated and repaired. The service provider has issued a statement that the problem is being addressed with priority, and that all affected routes will be restored as soon as the system is fully operational. Airlines have advised passengers to check flight status updates through their official channels, and some have already begun rebooking or offering refunds for impacted journeys.

The technical glitch underscores the critical role of NATS in maintaining safe and efficient air traffic flow. While the full impact on passenger itineraries is still unfolding, NATS has pledged to keep airlines and the public informed as the situation evolves. Once the system stabilises, departures are expected to resume normal operations across the affected airports.