Air Traffic Control in the UK criticized as inefficient following a four-hour long countrywide malfunction
UK Air Traffic Control Disruptions Cause Widespread Flight Cancellations and Delays
Recurring technical issues with the UK's main air traffic management provider, NATS, have resulted in significant disruptions to airline operations, causing widespread delays and cancellations affecting hundreds of flights and hundreds of thousands of passengers.
On July 30, 2025, a technical glitch at NATS caused air traffic systems to be down for about 20 minutes, resulting in major flight cancellations and delays across several major UK airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Newcastle, and Manchester. The outage created a backlog that took days to resolve.
Similarly, in August 2023, a fire in a substation near Heathrow caused a complete loss of power part of the airport's internal grid, shutting down flights for almost a day.
These technical problems typically stem from software or IT system failures, not cyber-attacks according to official sources. NATS has stated that safety is not compromised during such outages because airspace is kept open in a controlled manner, prioritizing public risk appetite. However, the recurring nature of these glitches has raised concerns over the resilience and modernization of NATS’s IT infrastructure.
The disruption affected thousands of passengers during the summer holiday peak season. The closure of Heathrow alone during the latest four-hour closure could cost the sector at least £3.3 million (€3.8 million). The cost of the latest four-hour closure at other major hubs around the country is not included in this estimate.
Incoming flights continued, but departing flights were grounded at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, and the other mentioned airports. Departures at all airports resumed after the solution was found, and NATS worked with affected airlines and airports to clear the backlog safely.
NATS apologized to everyone affected by the issue, and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) demanded a review of mandatory airport resilience plans. Airlines affected by the delays have demanded answers and accountability from NATS management.
Regarding passenger compensation, under EU and UK regulations, passengers affected by flight cancellations or long delays due to provider-related disruptions are entitled to compensation depending on delay length and disruption cause. The total cost of the 2023 issue to airlines, excluding compensation and refunds, is not specified in the article.
These disruptions have provoked public and political scrutiny, calls for leadership changes, and pose ongoing challenges for passenger service and compensation. The issues highlight an urgent need for modernization and resilience improvements in the UK’s air traffic control IT systems.
Ryanair branded the situation "utterly unacceptable" due to no lessons appearing to have been learned since the August '23 NATS system outage. The repetition of technical problems has driven Ryanair to call for Martin Rolfe, NATS chief executive, to step down. Anyone whose journey was affected should check with airlines and insurers about their entitlement to compensation.
[1] BBC News. (2023, August 1). Heathrow flights suspended after power cut. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56164865
[2] Sky News. (2023, August 1). Heathrow flights grounded after power cut. [online] Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/heathrow-flights-grounded-after-power-cut-12615415
[3] The Guardian. (2023, August 1). Heathrow flights grounded after power cut. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/01/heathrow-flights-grounded-after-power-cut
[4] The Telegraph. (2023, August 1). Heathrow flights grounded after power cut. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/01/heathrow-flights-grounded-power-cut/
- The flight cancellations and delays caused by UK Air Traffic Control disruptions have significantly impacted people's holiday plans, necessitating checks with airlines and insurers about compensation entitlement.
- The recurring technical problems at NATS have sparked public and political scrutiny, with some calling for leadership changes in the air traffic management provider.
- The general-news media reported extensively on the flights grounded at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Newcastle, and Manchester due to NATS's technical issues, highlighting the effects on the airline industry and passenger lifestyle.
- The sports and leisure sector, as well as political leaders, have a vested interest in the modernization of NATS's IT infrastructure to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable travel for sports events, holidays, and other journey purposes.
