Air travel chaos: Passengers left stranded as UK air traffic control system fails

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【Summary】Hundreds of flights to and from the UK have been cancelled due to an air traffic control failure. The issue has been resolved, but delays and cancellations may persist. Passengers are advised to contact their airlines for the latest information. The disruption has caused significant delays for passengers and has affected airports across the country.

FutureCar Staff Aug 29, 2023 12:21 AM PT

Air travel chaos: Passengers left stranded as UK air traffic control system fails

One flight from Northern Ireland was delayed by almost 11 hours, causing an NI woman to miss her heart transplant check-up. This delay was a result of a UK-wide air traffic control failure, which has led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights during the bank holiday weekend.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, by Monday afternoon, 232 departing flights from UK airports and 271 arriving flights had been cancelled. The National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the leading provider of air traffic control services in the country, stated that the technical issue affecting air traffic control systems had been resolved. However, delays and cancellations may still persist.

Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport released statements advising customers to contact their airlines for the latest flight information due to ongoing delays and cancellations. NATS confirmed that they have identified and remedied the technical issue and are working with airlines and airports to support affected flights.

Major UK airlines such as Tui and British Airways have warned passengers of significant delays and schedule changes. Flights are expected to remain significantly disrupted for the rest of the day, even though the technical issue has been resolved. Passengers have been left stranded on runways while waiting for clearance to enter UK airspace.

One passenger, Serena Hamilton, who had a heart transplant, missed her hospital appointment in Newcastle due to the flight cancellation caused by the air traffic control failure. She expressed her frustration and stated that she had confirmed with the airline before traveling to the airport.

Delays of almost 11 hours have been reported at Belfast International Airport, with one flight to Paris delayed by 10 hours and 57 minutes. The airport attributed these delays to the UK-wide air traffic control issue. Passengers on affected flights have expressed their growing impatience.

The NATS has acknowledged the technical issue and stated that flight plans are being manually inputted, causing traffic flow restrictions. They are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to ensure flight safety. Belfast City Airport also mentioned a planning system technical issue as the cause of disruption.

Dublin Airport has advised passengers to check the status of their flights due to delays and cancellations caused by the air traffic control issue in the UK. Irish minister of state for transport, Jack Chambers, has warned of a major impact on flights to and from Ireland as a result of the UK air traffic control fault.