UK Air Traffic Control Glitch Grounds Over 1,000 Flights, Sparking Calls for Leadership Change
A technical failure in the UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) system caused widespread disruption across major airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, leading to the cancellation of over 1,000 flights. While NATS implemented a fix by Tuesday evening, backlogs and ground congestion have caused delays to persist. Airlines like British Airways and EasyJet reported significant cancellations, with Ryanair citing over 65,000 affected passengers. The incident has reignited debates about NATS’s reliability and leadership.