More than 250 flights to and from the UK were cancelled on the morning of Wednesday, September 9, as Heathrow and Gatwick continued to recover from a critical technical failure in the Nats aviation system that had grounded over 1,300 flights the previous day. The disruption, which has stranded tens of thousands of passengers, is expected to last throughout the day as the aviation network works through a massive backlog.
Technical failure triggers widespread cancellations
The technical issue with Nats, the national air traffic control system essential for flight navigation, hit on Tuesday, September 8, leading to the cancellation of more than 1,300 flights. Arrivals at Heathrow were suspended, and while some have since resumed, airlines have warned passengers to check flight status before travelling due to ongoing disruption.
Engineers fixed the issue within four hours, but the knock-on effects persisted. Early on Wednesday, more than 177 flights were cancelled, nearly all at Heathrow, with over 16 cancellations recorded between 7am and 8am alone. In total, more than 250 flights to and from the UK were grounded this morning.
Airlines criticise Nats and demand CEO resignation
In the wake of the disruption, Ryanair and Wizz Air have lambasted Nats, calling the system "not fit for purpose" and arguing that national infrastructure should not repeatedly "bring the aviation system to a standstill." Neal McMahon, Ryanair's chief operating officer, called on Nats CEO Martin Rolfe to resign, saying: "How many more failures do passengers have to suffer before overpaid failure Nats CEO Martin Rolfe accepts responsibility for his repeated mismanagement and resigns?"
McMahon added: "Over three years after Nats’ catastrophic 2023 system meltdown, it’s clear that nothing has changed, with UK passengers once again suffering avoidable ATC delays of up to eight hours today due a critical Nats ATC system failing."
CEO accepts responsibility as scrutiny intensifies
The Press Association reported that Rolfe said he "always accepts full responsibility" when asked if he was considering his position after the incident. Speaking to Sky News, Rolfe said: "I am the CEO of a piece of critical infrastructure, so it is my job to take responsibility for that. What I absolutely take responsibility for is keeping people safe and delivering the best service we possibly can on a day like today."
He added: "You will understand my focus is entirely about how we actually resolve this issue, get things back to normal, help our airlines, our airport customers and the travelling public." Rolfe is expected to be summoned to the Transport Secretary today, September 9. While the system is now operating normally, Rolfe explained to the BBC that the "not fit for purpose" system has left a huge backlog, with dozens of flights still being cancelled.
Passenger rights and next steps
Affected passengers have the right to assistance and care under UK law, which applies to all those entering or leaving the UK on a UK or EU airline. When there are significant delays, passengers are entitled to a reasonable amount of food and drink, a means of communication, accommodation if rerouted until the next day, and transportation to and from that accommodation. Compensation depends on the delays and certain airline policies, so passengers should check whether they are entitled to further compensation as a result of this disruption.
