A major technical failure in the UK’s air traffic control system caused widespread flight chaos on Tuesday, September 8, with at least 625 flights cancelled across the country, according to Flightradar24 data cited by The Associated Press. Hundreds more flights were delayed at major airports, leaving thousands of passengers facing disrupted travel plans.
The disruption was caused by a technical problem in the flight-processing system operated by National Air Traffic Services (NATS). NATS later said engineers had implemented a fix and that the system was beginning to recover, although passengers were warned that delays and cancellations could continue while the backlog was cleared.
UK Flight Cancellation List Today: 625 Flights Cancelled
According to the latest figures available, 625 flights to and from UK airports had been cancelled by around 5 p.m. UTC.
The reported airline breakdown includes:
- easyJet — 218 cancellations
- British Airways — 132 cancellations
- Ryanair — 41 cancellations
- KLM — 37 cancellations
- Eurowings — 22 cancellations
- Other airlines — remaining cancellations
These figures are based on the latest reported Flightradar24 data and can change as airlines update their schedules.
Full UK Airport Disruption List: Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester & More
The technical failure affected airports across the UK rather than a single airport.
Major affected airports include:
- London Heathrow
- London Gatwick
- London Stansted
- London Luton
- London City
- Manchester Airport
- Birmingham Airport
- Edinburgh Airport
- Glasgow Airport
- Aberdeen Airport
- Belfast City Airport
- Bristol Airport
Dublin Airport in Ireland was also affected because of flights operating to and from the UK.
Heathrow Flight Cancellation List: Around 100 Cancelled
Heathrow was among the worst-hit airports.
Around 100 flights were cancelled at Heathrow, while FlightAware data showed approximately 367 delays. Many short-haul European services were particularly affected.
Passengers travelling through Heathrow should check their airline’s latest flight status before leaving for the airport.
Gatwick Flight Status: Hundreds Delayed
Gatwick also experienced significant disruption. Around 250 flights were delayed, representing approximately 31% of scheduled operations in the data reported by Reuters.
The airport warned travellers that the NATS technical problem could continue to have knock-on effects even after the underlying system issue was fixed.
Edinburgh and Glasgow Flight Cancellations
Scotland was also affected by the air traffic control failure.
Reports indicated that 29 flights were cancelled at Edinburgh Airport, while 18 flights were cancelled at Glasgow International Airport. Edinburgh also saw a substantial proportion of its flights delayed.
Aberdeen Airport was among the other Scottish airports reporting disruption.
Which Airlines Are Affected by UK Flight Chaos?
Several major airlines have confirmed disruption.
easyJet said some flights were unable to operate and warned that the NATS failure was causing delays across Europe. British Airways also confirmed disruption and said the problem was outside its control.
Ryanair reported that more than 65,000 passengers had been affected and that it had cancelled dozens of flights. The airline has also renewed criticism of NATS following repeated air traffic control problems.
What Caused the UK Flight Cancellations?
NATS said the problem was located in its flight-processing system, which is responsible for processing flight information needed for air traffic management.
The technical issue disrupted the normal flow of departures and arrivals across several airports. Although UK airspace remained open, the reduced ability to process flights created widespread delays and cancellations.
Has the UK Air Traffic Control Problem Been Fixed?
NATS said it had implemented a fix and that its flight system had started to recover.
However, fixing the technical fault does not immediately restore the normal flight schedule. Aircraft and crew can be left out of position after hours of cancellations and delays, creating a chain reaction across later flights.
Passengers were therefore warned that disruption could continue even after the technical problem was resolved.
UK Flights Today: What Should Passengers Do?
Passengers travelling from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow and other affected airports should:
- Check their flight status directly with the airline.
- Do not travel to the airport unless the airline confirms the flight is operating.
- Monitor airline apps, emails and text alerts.
- Allow additional time for check-in and security if the flight is confirmed.
- Expect possible delays even if the original flight has not been cancelled.
Airports have advised passengers to rely on their airlines for the latest individual flight information.
UK Flight Cancellation List: Important Update
The 625-cancellation figure is not necessarily the final total. Flight schedules were continuing to change as airlines worked through the backlog.
Therefore, the airline and airport figures above should be treated as the latest reported snapshot rather than a permanent list. Travellers should check their specific flight number with the operating airline before travelling.
