Airlines have criticized the UK's air traffic control system after a second technical problem in two weeks caused major disruption to flights. EasyJet stated that Monday's incident "once again calls into question the resilience" of the service, while Wizz Air described it as a "national confidence crisis" in National Air Traffic Services (Nats), which operates the UK's air traffic control.
The technical issue at Prestwick affected airports across Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England, resulting in approximately 150 flight cancellations. Nats attributed the disruption to a "connectivity issue" and clarified that it was unrelated to a separate software defect at Swanwick that led to the cancellation of 2,000 flights earlier in September.
Nats has resolved the underlying issue and reported that it is operating at "full capacity," although officials warned of potential knock-on effects. EasyJet was the most impacted airline, with 47 of its 670 scheduled departures cancelled, while British Airways cancelled 12 of its 513 scheduled flights.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) indicated that passengers affected by the disruptions are "unlikely" to be entitled to compensation, as the technical issue may be classified as "extraordinary circumstances" under passenger rights rules. An independent review by the CAA into the resilience of the UK's air traffic control system is currently underway, with results expected in six months.
Airlines UK, the industry representative body, stated that both passengers and airlines "deserve better" service following another failure by Nats. Wizz Air UK's managing director, Yvonne Moynihan, called for "urgent reform" of Nats and questioned the effectiveness of its leadership.
Jet2's CEO, Steve Heapy, urged for "urgent and accountable" action to improve the UK's air traffic control infrastructure. Ryanair reiterated its calls for Nats chief Martin Rolfe to resign, citing failures in delivering a reliable system. British Airways expressed disappointment over the ongoing technical faults with Nats.
A Nats spokesperson acknowledged the challenges posed by technology failures and emphasized that safety remains the top priority. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the situation as "deeply frustrating" for passengers.
Passengers shared their experiences of the disruptions, with some expressing frustration over repeated issues. The recent technical failure at Prestwick, which handles traffic for about 42% of the UK's air traffic, has raised concerns about the resilience of the air traffic control system.
Nats previously reported that a software glitch at Swanwick caused significant disruptions, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers. Rolfe has stated he will not resign, characterizing the software defect as "very, very obscure."