UK flights disrupted again as second air traffic control glitch in two weeks cancels nearly 200 flights
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Neutral summary
A second air traffic control failure in two weeks caused widespread disruption across UK airports on Monday, September 21, with nearly 200 flights cancelled and hundreds delayed. The technical issue at NATS’s Prestwick centre in Scotland affected airspace over northern and central England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A NATS spokesperson described the fault as a “connectivity issue” that was quickly fixed, but knock-on effects were felt for the rest of the day. Airports including Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, Bristol, London Gatwick and London City reported delays and cancellations. The Mirror reported 227 flights cancelled, while Ryanair alone saw more than 140 flights delayed, affecting around 25,000 passengers. Airlines Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and Jet2 demanded urgent action and called for NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe to resign; easyJet said the incident “once again calls into question the resilience” of the system. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, en route to a UN meeting in New York, refused to directly back Rolfe and said the situation is “clearly serious” and “needs to be fully investigated,” adding that it is a matter for Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. The previous failure on September 8–9, caused by a software error, led to more than 2,000 flight cancellations and affected over 330,000 passengers. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wrote on X that the problem had been resolved and systems were returning to normal, acknowledging it would be “extremely frustrating” for passengers.
How it was framed
Outlets: 34. Countries: 8. Facts in the shared core: 7.
Publication timeline
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Belfast Telegraph (outlet profile)
Delays at NI airports after second air traffic disruption incident in three weeks. Some flights have been delayed by several hours
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The National (Scotland) (outlet profile)
UK airports experiencing more air traffic control issues with delays reported. Passengers travelling from airports in the UK, including Glasgow, are experiencing air traffic control issues today (September 21).
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Daily Express (outlet profile)
Air traffic control LIVE: Chaos as UK airports again as issues spark flight delays. It comes just two weeks after air traffic control issues sparked flight chaos throughout the UK.
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The Mirror (outlet profile)
Air traffic control chaos - live: Hundreds of flights delayed across UK again. Air Traffic Control provider NATS said it is experiencing a 'technical issue; affecting airspace in northern and central England, as well as…
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The Independent (outlet profile)
Passengers hit by delays after some UK airports report air traffic control issues. Passengers have been hit by more delays on Monday morning following further air traffic control issues affecting several airports across…
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GB News (outlet profile)
Hundreds of flights facing major delays as airspace restricted over nearly all of UK. Hundreds of flights face major delays as airspace is restricted across nearly all of the UK. The affected airports are based in North…
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WalesOnline (outlet profile)
'Air traffic control issues' cause delays in and out of UK airports. It comes just two weeks after a separate NATS incident caused major disruption across the country
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Daily Mail (outlet profile)
Flights disrupted again in Scotland and northern England by air traffic control 'technical issue'. Flights were disrupted in Scotland and northern England this morning because of a 'technical issue' at an air traffic co…
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The Independent (outlet profile)
Air traffic control issue sparks fresh flight delays at UK airports
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Evening Standard (outlet profile)
Air traffic control centre 'technical issue' disrupts flights. Flights departing Scottish airports are subject to some delay, according to Nats
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The National (Scotland) (outlet profile)
Live as flights being disrupted across Scotland amid air control issues. Flights are being disrupted in Scotland and northern England because of a “technical issue” at an air traffic control centre in Scotland, National…
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The Mirror (outlet profile)
Air traffic control chaos - live: Hundreds of flights delayed across UK again. Flights from Manchester, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports are among those affected by the issue which comes just weeks after another…
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Belfast Telegraph (outlet profile)
Flights disrupted across north of UK amid air traffic control issue
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Evening Standard (outlet profile)
Flights disrupted across north of UK amid air traffic control issue. Airports in Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester were registering delayed flights and urging passengers to check with their airlines.
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ТАСС (outlet profile)
В Великобритании произошел новый сбой воздушного сообщения. Технические проблемы возникли в авиационном диспетчерском центре в Престуике
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iNews (outlet profile)
Flights delayed across UK by new air traffic control failure. The disruption comes just weeks after another fault caused travel chaos
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The National (Scotland) (outlet profile)
All the flights cancelled across Scotland amid air traffic control issue. AIRLINES have demanded urgent action after a second air traffic control issue in less than two weeks caused further flight disruption
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Channel NewsAsia (outlet profile)
New air traffic control failure delays flights at UK airports. Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast airports were experiencing delays, and London's Gatwick and City Airports said there would be some disruption.
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Times of India (outlet profile)
Delays at UK's Manchester Airport over air traffic control failure
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Sud Ouest (outlet profile)
Voyage en avion : une panne du contrôle aérien perturbe les vols en Écosse, en Irlande du Nord et dans le nord de l’Angleterre. Des dizaines de vols sont retardés, ou annulés, en raison d’une panne du contrôle aérien qu…
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Belfast Telegraph (outlet profile)
Airlines demand action after second air traffic control issue in a fortnight
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Evening Standard (outlet profile)
Airlines demand action after second air traffic control issue in a fortnight. Airports in Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester were registering delayed flights and urged passengers to check with their airlines.
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City AM (outlet profile)
Easyjet and British Airways criticise air traffic control operator on fresh flight chaos. Easyjet and British Airways have questioned the resilience of the UK’s air traffic control system as British airports face…
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Valor Econômico (outlet profile)
Nova falha no controle de tráfego aéreo atrasa voos em aeroportos do Reino Unido. Os voos em vários aeroportos britânicos sofreram atrasos nesta segunda-feira (21) devido a uma falha no controle de tráfego aéreo, inform…
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Valor Economico (outlet profile)
Nova falha no controle de tráfego aéreo atrasa voos em aeroportos do Reino Unido. Os voos em vários aeroportos britânicos sofreram atrasos nesta segunda-feira (21) devido a uma falha no controle de tráfego aéreo, inform…
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Интерфакс (outlet profile)
Британские аэропорты пострадали из-за технических неполадок. Аэропорты Северной Ирландии, Англии и Шотландии пострадали из-за неполадок системы, используемой Национальной авиационной службой, сообщают британские СМИ."Се…
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WalesOnline (outlet profile)
Legal advice if your flight is cancelled due to air traffic control disruption. Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been affected by flight delays across the UK in the last two weeks - your legal rights explained
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Tanjug (outlet profile)
Brojni letovi u Ujedinjenom Kraljevstvu otkazani zbog problema sa kontrolom leta
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Politika (outlet profile)
Бројни летови у Уједињеном Краљевству отказани због проблема са контролом лета. Ово је други квар у року од две недеље
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BFMTV (outlet profile)
Plusieurs dizaines de vols annulés ce lundi: le Royaume-Uni victime d'une nouvelle panne du contrôle aérien, la deuxième en deux semaines. Cette panne fait suite à celle des 8 et 9 septembre derniers, quand plus de 2.00…
Factual core
- Dozens of flights were cancelled on Monday in the United Kingdom due to a new air traffic control failure.
- The air traffic control issue caused flight disruption across the UK.
- The technical issue occurred at the NATS Prestwick centre in Scotland.
- NATS is the UK's air traffic control provider.
- Multiple airline bosses are calling for the resignation of the Nats chief.
- easyJet said the disruptions highlighted the fragility of NATS' systems and the need for firm measures to prevent repeat failures.
- The NATS technical failure on September 21 followed previous failures on September 8 and 9.