Passengers at Aberdeen International Airport are continuing to face prolonged disruption today as airlines strive to normalise operations in the wake of a substantial air traffic control (ATC) failure which began yesterday. The technical malfunction led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights across the UK aviation network.
Services at key Scottish hubs, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, experienced considerable impact. Travellers departing from or arriving at these airports have been advised to consult their airlines for the latest updates on flight status, as the industry grapples with the operational backlog.
NATS, the UK’s primary air traffic control provider, identified a fault within its flight processing system on Tuesday afternoon. Engineers successfully implemented a fix by 4:40 pm, with the organisation subsequently reporting its system was operating normally by 7:30 pm. However, NATS acknowledged that the recovery process had taken longer than initially anticipated, issuing a late Tuesday evening update warning that the repercussions would take time to fully resolve.
In a statement, NATS confirmed: “This has been a very complex recovery and has created difficulties for the whole aviation network.”
The scale of the disruption was evident across Scotland, with nearly 60% of flights at Edinburgh Airport reportedly delayed at one point on Tuesday afternoon, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24. AGS Airports, which manages operations at Glasgow and Aberdeen airports, confirmed that both arriving and departing services could be subject to delays, reiterating the advice for passengers to contact their carriers directly before travelling. Glasgow Prestwick also issued warnings of potential delays and cancellations, while airports in the Highlands and Islands reported significant impacts on their London services throughout Tuesday’s operational challenges.
Major airlines reported extensive fallout from the system failure. British Airways stated it had cancelled or diverted more than 100 flights, resulting in aircraft and crews being displaced. Ryanair indicated that over 65,000 passengers had been affected, leading to the cancellation of more than 50 scheduled flights.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of NATS, triggering sharp criticism from within the aviation sector. Ryanair publicly called for the resignation of NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe, while Wizz Air demanded fundamental reform of the organisation.
In response to the widespread disruption, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK’s independent aviation regulator, has formally requested a comprehensive report into the incident. The CAA stated it would then assess whether any further actions are necessary to enhance the resilience and reliability of the UK’s air traffic control infrastructure.
As the recovery continues, passengers scheduled to fly on Wednesday, 9 September, are strongly urged to verify their flight status directly with their respective airlines. NATS has issued an apology for the disruption and confirmed its ongoing efforts to support airports and airlines in their recovery operations.
