Major Software Failure at NATS Disrupts Over 1,300 Flights in the UK
Hundreds of thousands of travellers across the United Kingdom have been left stranded or severely delayed after a major software failure struck National Air Traffic Services (NATS) on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. The disruption is continuing into Wednesday, September 9.
The technical failure in NATS’ flight processing system forced air traffic controllers to dramatically restrict departure and arrival rates at the UK’s busiest airports, including London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, and Edinburgh. According to flight-tracking site Flightradar24, more than 1,300 flights were cancelled to and from UK airports on Tuesday alone. By early Wednesday morning, at least 177 more cancellations were recorded, nearly all at Heathrow.
Ryanair reported that over 65,000 passengers were delayed and 50 of its flights cancelled. easyJet warned that knock-on effects were being felt across Europe, with Eurocontrol confirming some inbound flights had to be held at airports abroad.
NATS CEO Martin Rolfe told BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday morning that a cyber attack has been ruled out: “We have at this point ruled out cyber, we don’t believe it was a cyber attack.”
Heathrow said operations are “recovering” but warned passengers to expect further knock-on delays as airlines work to reposition aircraft and crew. Gatwick also cautioned it would “take time for operations to fully return to normal.”
Passengers with upcoming UK flights are strongly advised to check their airline’s website before travelling to the airport.
Source: CNBC — UK air traffic chief rules out cyber attack after massive disruption at Heathrow