Flight Delays Hit Manchester Airport After Air Traffic Control Failure
Hundreds of UK flights, including services at Manchester Airport, were disrupted on Monday following a technical fault at a Scottish air traffic control centre.
Hundreds of flights travelling to and from the UK, including services at Manchester Airport, faced significant disruption on Monday following a technical failure at a Scottish air traffic control centre.
The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) confirmed that an issue at its Prestwick facility was resolved by late morning. However, the temporary outage triggered a ripple effect of delays and cancellations that persisted throughout the day for passengers travelling through northern and central England.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, at least 200 UK flights were cancelled as a result of the disruption. NATS stated that this incident was not connected to a separate software failure that grounded thousands of flights earlier in September.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the recurring problems as a matter of serious concern. Speaking to reporters, he urged the Transport Secretary to conduct a thorough investigation into the root causes of the repeated system failures.
Airline operators have expressed intense frustration over the disruption. Ryanair executives reiterated demands for the resignation of NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe, while representatives from EasyJet and Wizz Air publicly questioned the resilience of the UK's air traffic infrastructure.
Travellers departing from Manchester have been advised to check their flight status directly with their airline before heading to the terminals. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has indicated that affected passengers are unlikely to receive financial compensation, as the technical fault is legally classified as an extraordinary circumstance outside the control of the airlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why are flights delayed at Manchester Airport?
- A technical issue at the NATS air traffic control centre in Prestwick, Scotland, caused widespread disruption to airspace across northern and central England.
- Can I get compensation for my delayed flight?
- The UK Civil Aviation Authority states that compensation is unlikely, as the air traffic control failure is considered an extraordinary circumstance outside the airlines' control.
- What should I do if I am flying from Manchester today?
- Passengers are strongly advised to check their flight status directly with their airline before travelling to the airport, as knock-on delays are expected to continue throughout the day.