UK Air Traffic System Glitch Cripples 425 Flights, Sparks Calls for NATS CEO to Resign
A technical failure in the UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) system caused widespread flight cancellations and delays across major airports on Tuesday. By 5 pm, 425 flights had been cancelled, with Heathrow and Gatwick experiencing the most severe disruptions. NATS confirmed a fix was implemented and the system was 'starting to recover,' but warned that full recovery would take time. Airlines, including Ryanair and British Airways, reported significant delays, with Ryanair citing 65,000 affected passengers. The incident has triggered calls for the resignation of NATS CEO Martin Rolfe, with critics highlighting a pattern of system failures since 2023.