Over 2,100 flights cancelled as UK air traffic technical fault hits 330,000
A technical fault in British air traffic control systems grounded more than 2,100 flights across the United Kingdom on Tuesday and Wednesday, stranding travelers across major European aviation hubs. International passengers faced mounting backlogs after 1,746 flights were cancelled on Tuesday, followed by another 399 cancellations on Wednesday, with the majority of disruptions concentrated at London Heathrow Airport.
Independent six-month review ordered as NATS rules out cyber intrusion
National Air Traffic Services Chief Executive Martin Rolfe confirmed that investigators have ruled out a cyberattack as the cause of the system failure, promising a thorough internal investigation into the breakdown. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told Parliament she did not believe the disruption was unavoidable, subsequently ordering an independent review that will deliver its findings within six months. NATS accepted full responsibility for the collapse, though Ryanair Chief Operations Officer Neal McMahon publicly called for Rolfe to be fired for failing air travelers.
Industry data from Airlines UK shows that more than 330,000 passengers suffered travel disruption over the two-day period, with 155,000 facing outright flight cancellations and another 180,000 enduring severe delays. British Airways cancelled nearly 550 flights, including 200 on Wednesday alone, affecting 85,000 of its customers, while Ryanair reported over 65,000 affected passengers and 50 cancelled flights. Flight operations at London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Dublin airports also experienced extensive delays and tarmac holds, forcing stranded travelers to sleep inside terminal buildings as nearby hotels reached full capacity. The aviation regulator confirmed that impacted passengers are unlikely to receive statutory financial compensation, as the system failure will likely be classified as extraordinary circumstances under passenger rights regulations.
The nationwide system fault marks the country’s most severe aviation disruption since an August 2023 air systems failure affected over 700,000 passengers, following a smaller technical glitch that grounded scores of flights in July 2025.
