More than 1,000 flights were cancelled across the United Kingdom after a technical failure at the country’s air traffic control provider, NATS, disrupted operations at major airports on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. The breakdown affected Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and other airports, leaving tens of thousands of passengers facing delays, cancellations and overnight disruption.
Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 initially recorded 1,055 cancelled flights by 8pm Tuesday, but subsequent updates put the number at about 1,300 cancellations for the day. The disruption continued into Wednesday, with at least 177 more flights cancelled, most of them involving Heathrow.
NATS said the fault affected its flight-processing system and was eventually resolved. However, the technical fix did not immediately restore normal operations because aircraft and flight crews had been left out of position across the aviation network.
NATS identified the immediate problem as a technical fault involving its flight data processing system. The organisation said the incident was not the same as previous failures that disrupted British aviation in 2023 and 2025.
The problem began during the afternoon on September 8 and initially affected departures, particularly around London. Restrictions later spread to arriving flights, creating a wider backlog across the UK and parts of Europe.
NATS said its engineers worked to restore the affected system and announced later in the day that the fault had been resolved. The organisation also said safety had not been compromised during the incident.
The technical failure nevertheless created significant operational consequences because airlines had to reposition aircraft and crews after flights were cancelled, diverted or delayed.
London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports were among the facilities most affected, alongside Manchester and Stansted.
Heathrow temporarily suspended arrivals on Tuesday night while departures resumed with significant disruption. By Wednesday, the airport said flights were operating but warned passengers to expect further knock-on effects as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crew.
Other airports reporting disruption included:
- Manchester
- Birmingham
- London Stansted
- London Luton
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Belfast
- London City
- Liverpool
- Aberdeen
The effects also extended beyond Britain. Dublin Airport reported more than 70 cancelled inbound and outbound flights on Tuesday and warned of possible disruption caused by aircraft displacement.
The disruption has renewed criticism of NATS, particularly because it follows other major air traffic control failures in recent years.
Ryanair said more than 65,000 of its passengers were affected and cancelled dozens of flights during Tuesday’s disruption. British Airways also cancelled or diverted more than 100 flights, affecting tens of thousands of customers.
Some airlines have called for changes at NATS.
Ryanair renewed its demand for the departure of NATS Chief Executive Martin Rolfe, while Wizz Air criticised the organisation’s reliability and called for reforms.
The criticism reflects growing concern over whether Britain’s air traffic control infrastructure can withstand repeated technical failures without causing widespread disruption.
The latest incident has also triggered direct government scrutiny.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander summoned NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe to explain the failure and the organisation’s response. The government has also sought assurances that lessons will be learned and that the systems supporting Britain’s aviation network are sufficiently resilient.
Rolfe apologised to affected passengers and accepted responsibility for the performance of the organisation while rejecting suggestions that he was focused on resigning during the immediate recovery operation.
He also ruled out a cyberattack as the cause and said the fault was different from earlier incidents.
The latest UK flight cancellations are particularly significant because they are not an isolated incident.
A major NATS failure in August 2023 caused widespread flight cancellations and delays, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers and costing airlines more than £100 million in refunds and compensation, according to industry estimates reported at the time.
Another radar-related technical problem disrupted British airports in July 2025.
The repeated incidents have intensified questions about contingency arrangements and the resilience of the technology underpinning Britain’s air traffic control network.
For passengers, the immediate concern remains schedule recovery rather than the technical investigation itself.
Although NATS said the underlying technical problem had been resolved, airports warned that disruption would continue while airlines rebuilt their schedules.
Travellers affected by the disruption should:
- Check their flight status directly with the airline before leaving for the airport.
- Avoid travelling to the airport if the airline has not confirmed the flight.
- Allow additional time for possible queues and schedule changes.
- Monitor airline messages for rebooking or cancellation instructions.
- Keep records of cancelled or significantly delayed flights and related expenses where relevant.
Heathrow and Gatwick both warned passengers that recovery would take time because aircraft and crews needed to be moved back into position.
The immediate technical failure has been resolved, but the wider consequences are still unfolding. With further cancellations already recorded on Wednesday, the disruption demonstrates how a problem affecting a single critical aviation system can quickly spread across airports, airlines and international routes.
The government’s review of the incident, alongside the explanation expected from NATS, will likely determine whether additional investment, contingency measures or structural changes are required.
For now, UK flight cancellations and delays remain a significant travel issue, with passengers advised to confirm their individual flight status before travelling.
