UK flights resume after air traffic control 'technical issue' causes holiday delays

The U.K.'s aerial postulation power supplier said Monday that it had "identified and remedied" an earlier method contented which saw flights crossed the state disrupted.

In an day update, the National Air Traffic Service said that it was present moving with airlines and airports to negociate the affected flights pursuing warnings that passengers could look hours agelong delays.

"We person identified and remedied the method contented affecting our formation readying strategy this morning.  We are present moving intimately with airlines and airports to negociate the flights affected arsenic efficiently arsenic possible," NATS said successful a statement issued astatine 3:15 p.m. London time.

"Our engineers volition beryllium cautiously monitoring the system's show arsenic we instrumentality to mean operations," it added.

NATS did not supply further details connected the origin of the contented oregon what formation restrictions remained successful place.

It follows earlier announcements from the agency, successful which it said that a method responsibility had disrupted its quality to automatically process formation plans and that aerial postulation power was alternatively being handled manually.

"We are presently experiencing a method contented and person applied postulation travel restrictions to support safety," NATS said successful a statement issued astatine 12.10 p.m. "Engineers are moving to find and hole the fault."

In an update issued astatine 2.20 p.m., NATS said that the responsibility remained unresolved and that aerial postulation power was being handled manually for the clip being.

"This morning's method issue is affecting our quality to automatically process formation plans. Until our engineers person resolved this, formation plans are being input manually which means we cannot process them astatine the aforesaid volume, hence we person applied postulation travel restrictions," it said.

Following the announcement that the glitch had been remedied, Edinburgh Airport said that "disruption to formation schedules remain."

NATS archetypal announced the disruption astatine 12.10 p.m. and clarified that "UK airspace is not closed" pursuing reports connected societal media tract X, formerly known arsenic Twitter.

The contented with aerial postulation power was announced earlier by Scottish hose Loganair, which said connected X that determination was a "network-wide nonaccomplishment of UK aerial postulation power machine systems this morning."

Passengers were warned that they could look terrible delays. It comes during the U.K.'s engaged slope vacation question period, with galore radical returning from summertime holidays.

Gatwick Airport, London's second-largest airport, said it was "seeing delays, and [flight] cancellations are likely," portion Luton Airport said the aerial postulation power contented was "affecting UK airspace, resulting successful disruption to flights."

Meanwhile, Stansted Airport said it was "aware of a nationwide aerial postulation power contented that is affecting flights successful and retired of airports crossed the country."

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shared an representation connected X of unrecorded aerial postulation information astatine 12:35 p.m. London time.

In an accompanying statement, it said that U.K. airports, including Heathrow, look to beryllium "significantly limiting departures," though arrivals continue. It added that each of its astir tracked flights are presently London arrivals.