UK Flights Grounded Due to Air Traffic Control System Failure

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, flights throughout the United Kingdom have been halted due to a technical malfunction in the air traffic control system, as reported by Mehr News Agency, citing The Telegraph. Hundreds of flights across the country have been canceled, and all incoming flights to London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports are suspended until at least 7 PM today.

According to the report, other airports including London City, Manchester, Stansted, East Midlands, Birmingham, and Belfast City are also experiencing operational disruptions.

The Telegraph reported that equipment at the main center of the UK’s air traffic control company (Nats) in Swanwick, near Southampton, suffered a technical defect. This center is responsible for the safe guidance of flights across UK airspace.

Multiple sources indicate that the issue occurred in the “data processing” section shortly after 1 PM local time. Nats confirmed a “technical problem” but provided no details regarding the nature of the malfunction or its cause.