A technical malfunction at the air traffic control provider Nats has caused significant disruption to flight departures across multiple airports in southern England on the day of the incident. Heathrow Airport experienced initial departure pauses around midday, with traffic subsequently resuming before encountering additional intermittent stoppages throughout the afternoon. Incoming aircraft have continued to land without disruption.
The technical issue has affected operations at several major aviation hubs. Gatwick Airport confirmed it was experiencing the disruption alongside other facilities. East Midlands Airport was also impacted by the problem, while Manchester Airport cautioned that some outbound flights faced potential delays as a result of the Nats systems failure.
Nats released a statement confirming the investigation into the technical malfunction.
We are investigating a technical issue which is causing some disruption to flight departures. Our engineers are on site and we will provide an update as soon as we can.The organisation expressed regret for the delays and recommended that passengers verify their flight status directly with their airline operators.
What should passengers do?
Travellers affected by the disruption have been instructed to contact their airlines to obtain current information regarding their flight status and any potential delays or cancellations. Nats indicated it would release further updates through its official website at www.nats.aero and via its X account as the situation develops.
Which airports are affected?
The disruption spans a significant portion of the UK's aviation infrastructure. Confirmed affected airports include Heathrow, Gatwick, East Midlands, and Manchester. Edinburgh Airport also indicated through a post on X that the technical issue could potentially affect its operations, suggesting the problem may extend beyond the initially confirmed locations.
What happens next?
Nats stated that engineers were present on site and working to resolve the technical issue. The organisation committed to providing additional updates as soon as the situation becomes clearer. The exact cause of the technical malfunction and the expected timeframe for full resolution had not been disclosed at the time of reporting.
Key Facts:
- Departures at Heathrow were initially halted around lunchtime before resuming with ongoing disruption
- Multiple airports including Gatwick, East Midlands, Manchester, and potentially Edinburgh have been affected
- Incoming flights have continued to operate normally throughout the incident
- Nats engineers are investigating the technical issue on site
- Passengers should contact their airlines for current flight status information
