UK air traffic chaos updates

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【Summary】Thousands of passengers were affected by widespread disruption in UK air traffic due to "unreliable" flight data. The air traffic control failure was not caused by a cyber-attack, but rather by flight data that the system could not interpret. The issue has been identified and an investigation is underway. Around 281 flights were cancelled at the UK's six busiest airports.

FutureCar Staff Aug 30, 2023 10:18 AM PT

The chief executive of National Air Traffic Services (NATS), Martin Rolfe, has stated that "unreliable" flight data was the cause of the widespread disruption that affected thousands of passengers stuck at airports in the UK. According to Rolfe, an initial investigation found that the air traffic control failure was caused by flight data that the system "didn't understand" and "couldn't interpret". He also reiterated that the disruption was not caused by a cyber-attack.

Rolfe explained that the systems, both primary and backup, responded to the problem by suspending automatic processing to ensure the safety of air traffic controllers and the rest of the air traffic system. He assured passengers that since Monday afternoon, all systems have been running "normally". However, he acknowledged that the "knock-on effects" could continue to be felt for days, especially during the busy summer holiday travel period.

NATS has identified the issue with the system and its backups' reaction to the incorrect data. The organization is working with the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on the investigation, and the conclusions of the report will be made public. Flight data analysis revealed that a total of 281 flights, including departures and arrivals, were cancelled on Tuesday at the UK's six busiest airports: 75 at Gatwick, 74 at Heathrow, 63 at Manchester, 28 at Stansted, 23 at Luton, and 18 at Edinburgh.

Source: Example News