A technical failure at National Air Traffic Services (NATS) on Tuesday grounded flights across the UK, leading to roughly 1,300 cancellations to and from British airports, according to FlightRadar24. The problem hit NATS' flight processing system and triggered chaos at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted, with knock-on delays spreading to airports across Europe.
NATS says the fault has been fixed, but don't expect an instant return to normal. The system change has been described as a complex recovery, and airlines now face the slow job of moving stranded aircraft and crew back into position. Heathrow suspended arrivals for much of Tuesday, and the airport warned passengers that disruption would continue into Wednesday — flights were running, but travellers were told to confirm with their airline before heading to the terminal. By Wednesday morning, 177 flights had already been scrapped for the day, mostly at Heathrow, with more delays likely as the backlog clears. NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe apologised and promised a full investigation into what went wrong, admitting the fix took longer than hoped.
Airports reporting disruption included Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast City, Edinburgh, East Midlands and Jersey.
If you were caught up in it, here's what you may be owed. Under UK Civil Aviation Authority rules, delays over three hours can qualify for compensation of £220 to £520 per person. If your delay exceeded five hours, you can choose not to travel and claim a full refund. There's a catch, though: air traffic control failures usually count as extraordinary circumstances outside an airline's control, so cash payouts are unlikely in this case. What airlines should still offer is practical support — food and drink vouchers, transfers, and hotel accommodation for overnight delays. A cancelled flight means the airline must rebook you or refund you in full.
One more wrinkle: since Brexit, EU passenger rights only cover UK flights in specific cases — for example, a London-to-Paris flight operated by Air France, or any flight departing from an EU country to the UK. Claims processes vary by airline and aren't automatic, so it's worth submitting promptly with your booking details.
The practical takeaway: even though the technical fault is resolved, ripple effects can linger for days as airlines rebuild schedules. Check your flight status directly before travelling, keep receipts for any expenses you incur, and follow NATS and your airline's channels for updates.