Heathrow and Gatwick delays live: Hundreds of flights grounded at UK airports due to air traffic control glitch
Passenger journeys in chaos over ‘technical issue’ hitting hundreds of take-offs
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Thousands of passengers at airports including Heathrow and Gatwick are facing travel chaos due to a “technical issue” that grounded flights across the UK.
Departures were severely delayed because air-traffic chiefs said planes could not take off safely.
But about four hours after the disruption began, the National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said engineers had identified the problem and had fixed it.
However, it was not clear how long it would take for systems thrown into chaos by the widespread delays and cancellations to return to normal.
A Nats spokesperson said: “We apologise for the delay this will cause to journeys. Passengers should check with their airline on the status of their flight.”
Heathrow Airport posted on social media: “The air traffic control service is experiencing a technical issue which is impacting departing flights at UK airports. Arriving flights are not currently impacted. We are supporting our local Nats team in their efforts to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
“We will provide updated information when we have it. We apologise to those disrupted and advise passengers to check with their airline for latest flight information.”
In pictures: Stranded passengers
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 18:07
Honeymoon cancelled amid disruption
The flights disruption has stopped at least one couple from going on honeymoon.
Marco Marcucci and his wife married in July and waited until after the August rush to take their honeymoon.
They were due to fly from Milano Linate to San Francisco via Heathrow tomorrow morning but the flight was cancelled.
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 18:05
Plane to Shanghai turns back mid-flight
A British Airways plane from London to Shanghai has turned around and let passengers off at Cardiff, FlightRadar24 has said.
BA169 from Heathrow to Shanghai turned back due to a “technical issue” and diverted to Cardiff – a move likely to be caused by the air traffic fallout.
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:59
Call for urgent reform of air-traffic control
Wizz Air called for urgent reform of the National Air Traffic Control Services.
“A critical national infrastructure provider should not repeatedly bring the aviation system to a standstill. Nats is simply not fit for purpose in its current form,” a spokesperson said.
“Airlines, passengers and airports cannot continue to bear the consequences of recurring system failures.”
Last July, a “radar-related issue” caused an air traffic control failure that grounded flights across the UK – disrupting thousands of passengers and forcing the cancellation of more than 160 flights.
The problem happened at Nats’ control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire, and affected the vast majority of England and Wales.
A government source said the failure lasted around 20 minutes, and the level of disruption was similar to a day with bad weather.
In August 2023, more than 700,000 passengers experienced disruption when flights were grounded at UK airports when Nats suffered a technical glitch while processing a flight plan.
A Nats spokeswoman said: “We have implemented a fix and our flight system is starting to recover.
“We are continuing to work closely with our airline and airport customers on recovery.
“We apologise sincerely for the disruption to people’s journeys today and they should continue to check with their airline.”
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:54
Arsenal Naples press conference cancelled amid chaos
An Arsenal team pre-match press conference in Naples has been cancelled due to the disruption, because the team will not get there before 9.30pm at the earliest, writes Miguel Delaney at Gatwick.
“Im going on an Easyjet flight, and we ‘boarded’ but that was basically just into a barriered area where you take the shuttle.
“We have to keep showing our boarding pass to go back in and out to go to the toilet or get food,” he said.
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:49
Delays leave holidaymakers travelling overnight
Some flight delays of several hours will mean passengers travelling overnight once they reach their destinations.
Chris Knaggs, 67, was due to fly to Malaga from Gatwick at 7.10pm today but has found out his flight has been delayed until 11:45pm.
The retired government worker told the Press Association: “We had a message from EasyJet saying there’s going to be a delay and to wait for more information.”
Mr Knaggs, from south London, found out through the airline’s website about the delay, which is currently over four hours.
“If it gets much further on there’s a danger of it being cancelled,” he added.
Mr Knaggs said that once they arrive in Malaga, they will have to travel for three hours to reach their accommodation, meaning they likely won’t arrive until around 7am on Wednesday.
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:41
Couple set to stay at airport overnight
Katherina Wilken, who was due to be flying back from Heathrow to Dusseldorf in Germany with her partner on Tuesday, said she started to panic when at 3pm she had no gate information for her flight scheduled for 2.45pm, which was said to be delayed until 3.25pm.
The 26-year-old said she and her partner were now due to leave Heathrow at around 7am on Wednesday.
“We waited a long time because the display only said delayed for a long time and then that didn’t change,” she said.
“Then we started to question staff.”
She added: “It’s way too stressful to stay in a hotel miles away, we will probably stay here (at the airport) tonight.”
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:38
Bristol Airport flights disrupted
Flights at Bristol Airport have also been affected by the technical issue.
A spokesperson said: “There is disruption to flights across the UK due to a technical issue with National Air Traffic Services, which is affecting flights at Bristol Airport.
“We recommend passengers travelling today contact their airline directly to check the latest flight information and prior to leaving for the airport.”
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:27
Passengers on plane for five hours 'cold, hungry and frustrated'
Passengers on board a different flight to New York that has been delayed for five hours said they were “freezing cold”, hungry and frustrated.
Kate keogh told The Independent she boarded the aircraft at 12.20pm, for a 1.05pm take-off.
“At 4.49pm we are still on the plane waiting at the gate,” she said.
“The door has been open for over two hours and the plane is freezing cold.
“Only at 3.30pm did they offer water and pretzels. They have started service for cold drinks and snacks with no hot food available - and making everyone pay for it despite being on board for nearly 5 hours.
“We haven’t been given any updates whatsoever. After 2 hours the captain just told us he has no updates - which is a pointless announcement.
“Everyone on board is hungry, cold and extremely frustrated. The way we have been treated is appalling.”
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:26
Heathrow eerily quiet
Heathrow Airport was eerily quiet this afternoon after the string of cancellations.
One passenger who waited on a plane for four hours before the flight to New York JFK was cancelled said “the entire cabin groaned” when the announcement came.
Rhian Lubin, a senior US reporter for The Independent, said: “My flight from Heathrow to New York JFK was just minutes from takeoff at around midday when we were told of a delay due to a technical issue with air traffic control.
At 12.45 passengers on the British Airways flight said it would be the first to leave once the issue was fixed.
“Four hours later, still on the plane, the captain's voice came on the tannoy and told us he was very sorry but our flight was cancelled. The entire cabin groaned,” she said.
“I was back to the same spot I was in at 8am this morning, when I'd already battled the Elizabeth Line's severe delays.
“Terminal 5 is now strangely quiet. The airport is completely shut down with no flights taking off as those of us who have been stranded wait in a long line for what, I'm not sure.
“British Airways agents have told passengers flying to European destinations to go home and try again tomorrow.
“Long-haul flights are being prioritised but there is no sign of movement in the departures hall. And no one, including staff, seems to have any idea what's going on.”
Jane Dalton8 September 2026 17:20
