All flights from Edinburgh Airport have been suspended following a significant IT failure affecting its air traffic control services, plunging Scotland's busiest airport into chaos on the morning of Friday, 5 December 2025.
Chaos on the Tarmac as Planes Grounded
The disruption began in the morning, with the airport confirming the suspension of all operations. Several fully boarded aircraft were left stranded on the tarmac as the technical issue brought departures and arrivals to a complete standstill. Passengers were caught in the ensuing mayhem, with many facing uncertain delays and cancellations.
In a statement to Metro, Edinburgh Airport confirmed the problem was an IT issue with its air traffic control provider. The airport was quick to clarify that this incident is not connected to the widespread Cloudflare outage that occurred on the same morning, which impacted major websites including Spotify and Etsy.
Airport and Airlines Scramble for Solutions
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: ‘Due to an IT issue with our air traffic control provider, no flights are currently operating from Edinburgh Airport. Teams are working on the issue and aim to resolve it as soon as possible.’
The airport has advised all affected travellers to contact their airline directly for the latest information regarding their specific flight status and rebooking options. National Air Traffic Services (Nats), the UK's main provider, confirmed it does not handle services for Edinburgh but has offered its support to help resolve the situation.
Passengers Face Major Travel Disruption
The immediate impact of the IT glitch is severe travel disruption for thousands of passengers. With no timeline initially provided for a full restoration of services, the knock-on effects are expected to last throughout the day, potentially affecting schedules across the UK and Europe.
The incident underscores the critical reliance of modern aviation on complex IT systems. As specialist teams work to diagnose and fix the fault, passengers are being urged to check for real-time updates from their carriers before travelling to the airport.
