Air traffic control issues LIVE as hundreds of Manchester Airport and UK flights delayed with NATS statement issued, tell me about this news in (https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/air-traffic-control-issues-live-34647010?int_source=breaking-news)
21-09-2026
Here is a summary of the report from the Manchester Evening News article:
Cause of the Disruption: National Air Traffic Services (NATS) experienced a technical failure at its Prestwick control centre in Scotland, prompting air traffic restrictions to maintain flight safety across northern and central England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Resolution: NATS announced that engineers resolved the issue before 11:00 AM and began working alongside airlines and airports to gradually lift restrictions. NATS clarified that this fault was entirely unrelated to the major software outage that occurred on September 8.
Impact on Travel: Around 100 flights faced delays at Manchester Airport, while aviation analytics firm Cirium reported at least 200 cancellations across the UK. The most severely impacted hubs included George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast International Airport, and Glasgow Airport. EasyJet was the airline hit hardest by cancellations.
Airline and Industry Reactions: Airlines including easyJet, Jet2, and Wizz Air UK expressed frustration over recurring technical failures, calling for increased accountability and questioning the resilience and backup capabilities of NATS systems. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) similarly urged government intervention.
Passenger Rights and Advice: The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stated that delays and cancellations resulting from this incident qualify as “extraordinary circumstances,” making standard financial compensation unlikely. However, airlines remain obligated under passenger rights regulations to provide essential care, including refreshments, meals, alternative routing, or accommodation where necessary. Passengers were advised to verify flight statuses directly with their carriers before travelling.