UK: Nats Flight Data System Fault Disrupts Flights at Major AirportsYour support helps us to tell the story
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Tens of thousands of passengers plunged into travel chaos this week are unlikely to get compensation, the regulator has warned.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is conducting an independent review, has told those impacted that the “disruption caused by the Nats outage is likely to be considered the result of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under passenger rights rules”.
This means passengers are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations that were directly caused by the incident,” it said.
Airports have warned of further disruption on Wednesday after more than 2,000 flights to and from the UK were cancelled or delayed due to a “technical issue”.
National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) chief Martin Rolfe was summoned at lunchtime to see Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, after reporting a problem with the organisation’s flight data processing system.
Asked whether Ms Alexander and the prime minister still have confidence in Rolfe, a spokesperson said: “We have confidence in him and he’s been tasked with an investigation.”
Around 1,300 flights to and from UK airports were cancelled on Tuesday, according to Flightradar24, with a further 347 cancellations recorded on Wednesday.
Have you been affected by airport delays? Get in touch by emailing sophie.dickinson@independent.co.uk
Affected passengers are unlikely to be compensated – CAA
The tens of thousands of passengers affected by the mass cancellations and delays this week are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation”, the regulator has warned.
The Civil Aviation Authority said the “disruption caused by the Nats outage is likely to be considered the result of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under passenger rights rules”.
This means passengers are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations that were directly caused by the incident,” it said.
The CAA, which is carrying out an investigation, added: “We have reminded airlines of their responsibilities to look after passengers whose flights have been delayed or cancelled.”
It said airlines must provide passengers with meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation proportionate to the length of the delay.
Harriette Boucher9 September 2026 18:37
Analysis: Inside the IT ‘glitch’ that triggered UK flight chaos – and the warnings issued three years ago
It was shortly after 1pm on Tuesday afternoon when it first emerged something had gone badly wrong.
As airport passengers began seeing flights delayed on departure boards at Heathrow and Gatwick, National Air Traffic Services (Nats), the UK’s air traffic control provider, issued an alert over a “technical issue” causing disruption.
An hour and a half later, amid heightened chaos that had spread to other major airports across the country, the public-private partnership body sent out an update, explaining that the issue in “our flight processing system” had been identified. Some 75 minutes later it said had been fixed and systems were recovering – but with a warning that the disruption could last days.
Such a recovery took longer than hoped, conceded Nats in a further statement at 7.30pm, as the increasingly under-fire body offered an unreserved apology to the growing thousands of passengers stranded at airports, including Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester.
To the hardened airline traveller, it brought, perhaps, a sense of déjà vu.
Harriette Boucher9 September 2026 18:09
Hundreds of flights cancelled on Wednesday, data shows
More than 350 flights were cancelled or grounded on across on Wednesday as thousands of passengers continue to be impacted by yesterday’s travel chaos.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, 154 flights did not depart UK airports, and 203 did not arrive.
The firm said cancellations appear to be slowing down, and have sharply declined since yesterday, when more than 1,700 flight movements were impacted.
Harriette Boucher9 September 2026 18:03
Fraudsters are trying to sell fake BA flights, stranded passengers say
Holidaymakers Geoff and Janina McBride are warning people about a scam that NatWest fortunately rescued them from.
The McBrides, from Hampshire, were trying to travel to Lisbon and then on to the Azores to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary – but their flight was cancelled.
Former government nanotechnology scientist Mr McBride, 63, told PA they called a phone number on what they thought was the official BA website.
A fraudster pretending to work for the airline tried to offer them alternative flights from London City, Gatwick or Heathrow airports and via Munich.
The false flights were about £600 each, but the payments to him were not going through.
His wife, 64, called NatWest to ask why and they told her “get off the phone to them immediately”, Mr McBride said.
His card was blocked and the payments cancelled, he added, telling PA: “What do you do when you’re in a drama?
“I’m very well-versed in cybersecurity, but it’s that one click, isn’t it?
“And it looked legitimate, proper, he sounded proper, he was going through all the different flights, had all the details, so he can pull that off the internet and speak to me down the phone, credit card details – so I was lucky, very lucky.”
Mr McBride added: “We were in a panic – that’s when they get you.”
(PA)
Harriette Boucher9 September 2026 17:38
‘Trying to get a seat in Wetherspoons is like the Hunger Games’
Terminal 5 pre-security at Heathrow was significantly calmer this afternoon than it was yesterday, but departures is another matter.
I was among tens of thousands of passengers caught up in yesterday’s chaos and am trying again today to get back to New York.
My 12.20pm flight on Tuesday was just minutes from taking off when the crew was told to stand down.
We were stuck on the runway for four hours before British Airways had to cancel our flight.
The next available flight I could get a seat on wasn’t until tonight.
I was one of the lucky ones and managed to get a hotel room in nearby Ealing, 20 minutes away on the Elizabeth Line.
So, some 30 hours later, I’m back in Departures and it is extremely busy.
Trying to get a seat in the Wetherspoons is like The Hunger Games.
The good news is that the majority of flights now seem to be departing more or less on time, according to the boards in front of me. Fingers crossed!
Rhian found a seat at the airport eventually (Rhian Lubin)
Rhian Lubin, Senior US reporter 9 September 2026 17:04
Heathrow Express operating a reduced service
Heathrow Express services are departing at a reduced frequency on Wednesday due to vandalism of railway equipment.
From London Paddington: Services are departing at 25 and 55 minutes past the hour.From Heathrow Terminal 5: Services are departing at 27 and 57 minutes past the hour.From Heathrow Central for Terminals 2 & 3: Services are departing at 02 and 32 minutes past the hour.
Natalie Wilson9 September 2026 16:44
‘Serious concern’ from airlines after third major system failure in three years
UK Airlines have written to the transport secretary to share their “serious concern” about Nats technical failure yesterday.
The body representing them has called for tougher action following the major disruption caused from Nats third major system failure in three years, it said.
Tim Alderslade, the chief executive of Airlines UK, said:“The latest NATS failure has again exposed a gap in the UK’s aviation regulatory framework.
“Airlines are expected, in supporting passengers, to absorb the costs of disruption, even when the cause lies entirely outside their control.
“The result is a system where airlines pick up the bill for the mistakes of others, while the organisations responsible face little or no financial consequence. Accountability should sit where responsibility lies and the Civil Aviation Bill offers the opportunity to address this.”
Harriette Boucher9 September 2026 16:42
Heathrow sees highest number of cancellations
Heathrow airport has seen the highest number of cancellations on Wednesday, with 127 cancelled arrivals and 79 cancelled departures, according to Cirium, the aviation analytics company.
(Getty)
Natalie Wilson9 September 2026 16:34
New bill could give stranded passengers more rights
At the second reading of the Civil Aviation Bill in the House of Commons today, the transport secretary said that the new legislation would give the Civil Aviation Authority direct enforcement powers for consumer protection.
“That means faster action when rules are broken, and less burden on consumers to fight for what they’re owed,” Ms Alexander said. Currently, passengers on delayed and cancelled flights are required to contact their airline for a potential refund, based on the severity of the disruption.
Sophie Dickinson9 September 2026 16:03
‘I do not believe this issue was unavoidable’, says transport secretary
Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, the transport secretary Heidi Alexander said that she did not believe the issue was “unavoidable”, as she said: “I am clear that passengers should not have to face this disruption.”
She has asked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to carry out an independent review into the incident, which will report back in six months.
(Parliament TV)
Sophie Dickinson9 September 2026 15:53