Flights across parts of the United Kingdom were disrupted on 21 September after a connectivity problem at the Prestwick air traffic control centre affected services at several airports.

The issue hit flights serving Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland, with Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast among the airports reporting delays. Some disruption was also reported at London Gatwick and London City.

What happened at Prestwick

NATS said the problem was linked to connectivity at its Prestwick centre in Scotland. The technical issue was subsequently resolved, but delays and cancellations continued as airlines and airports worked through the resulting backlog.

The incident was separate from another major UK air-traffic-control failure earlier in September, which NATS attributed to a software defect.

Airports and passengers affected

Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast were among the airports affected by the latest disruption. Airlines also warned passengers to expect delays while schedules recovered.

Reuters reported that cancellations continued after the fault was fixed and that Ryanair estimated about 25,000 of its passengers had been affected. easyJet also cancelled some flights, while British Airways warned customers of continuing disruption.

Why disruption can continue after a fault is fixed

Even when an air-traffic-control technical problem is resolved quickly, disruption can continue for hours. Aircraft and crews may be out of position, departure slots have to be reassigned and delayed flights can create congestion across airport schedules.

Passengers with flights through affected airports should check directly with their airline before travelling to the airport and allow extra time for possible delays.

What travellers should do

Travellers should monitor airline apps, airport departure boards and official updates for the latest information. Passengers whose flights are cancelled or heavily delayed should contact their airline for rebooking and assistance options.

FlyingEze will continue to monitor significant UK aviation and travel disruption developments.